


Home Alone Tonight

by mushi0131



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Abuse, Addiction, Adoption, Alcohol, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Arrests, Baby Boy, Bad News, Broken Bones, Broken Heart, Complications, Confessions, Court, Cum in pussy, Cunnilingus, Divorce, Epilogue, F/M, Fingering, Growing Up, Happy Ending, House Hunting, Justice Is Served, Lemon, Lime, Love, Married Life, Modern AU, Natsu is not the rapist, New evidence, Oral, Party, Plea bargain, Pregnancy, Protective orders, Rape not described- just implied, Road Head, Road Trip, Seeking Help, Self-Harm, Sex, Sex in bathroom, Shower Sex, Smut, Temptation, Thanksgiving, Vows, Wedding, admitting a problem, baby girl - Freeform, blowjob, delivery, fight, handjob, public sex act, spousal rape, story telling, surprise, tough conversations, trial, unprotected sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-02
Updated: 2017-02-04
Packaged: 2018-07-28 17:28:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 24
Words: 170,237
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7649902
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mushi0131/pseuds/mushi0131
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For the past few years, Natsu's been dealing with his broken heart. He tries to drown his pain through unhealthy activities, but all it leaves him with is a string of failed relationships and a lot of drunken nights at the bar. He's been a wreck ever since she left. How will he deal with her return, when his heart is still mangled? Inspired by the Luke Bryan song. Modern AU. NALU</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Drink it all away

**Warning! This story is rated E for foul language, sexual content, and adult situations. This is a NALU story, so keep that in mind while reading. It will be a short fic, about five chapters. This story is inspired by Luke Bryan's 'Home Alone Tonight'. The first time I listened to the song I immediately thought of Natsu and Lucy and wanted to bring that to life. I hope you enjoy this story, and as always, I do not own Fairy Tail. I do not give anyone permission to repost any parts of this story anywhere. Please be respectful.**

**I've been writing a rated T fic lately, but to be honest, I miss writing smut, so that's why I'm starting this story too.**

* * *

**Chapter One: Drink it all away**

Natsu sighed on his way home from the gym. He had been extra hard on himself, and he was looking forward to kicking his feet up and watching tv. He couldn't remember if he was supposed to hang out with his girlfriend tonight, but it really didn't matter to him either way.

The pink haired man took the elevator to his apartment on the fourth floor. The motion made him slightly sick, but it was better than taking the stairs. His muscles were tense, desperately needing the relaxation that awaited him in his home.

Before he even pulled out his key to unlock his door, he noticed a folded piece of paper taped above the knob. Curious, he snatched it up, reading the message inside.

_**Natsu, I hate to do this through a note, but I can't stand to be near you anymore. I'm sure you saw this coming, since you've been extremely distant lately. It's not hard to tell that you're either cheating on me, or you're in love with someone else. Either way, it's not my concern anymore. I hope you have a happy life, but it can't have me in it. Thanks for the fun times. -C.** _

Natsu sighed as he slipped his key in, unlocking the door to enter his one bedroom apartment. He made his way straight to the kitchen's trash can.

A pathetic laugh left his mouth. "Another one bites the dust," he mumbled as he threw away the note. There was no point keeping it, because he wasn't heartbroken over the breakup. It wasn't that he was just trying to pretend like he was okay, because honestly he was fine with it. She was right, he definitely saw this coming.

She was also right about him being in love with someone else.

He was surprised she figured it out so soon though. Usually it took the girls a lot longer to find out the truth. He was usually better at hiding his real feelings. Guess the years of faking were finally wearing down on him.

He walked to his bedroom, opening the door to see the unmade, full-sized bed. Under the bed contained a box. He only allowed himself to look inside when he was single, since it felt like cheating when he peaked during a relationship.

He grabbed the wooden box, pulling it out to place on his bed. Inside contained pictures and notes. The photo on top was the hardest one to look at, because that smile tore his heart up every time he saw it.

He picked it up, bringing it to his face to glance at the blonde girl in the photo. He flipped it over, reading the back. _Natsu and Lucy at graduation._

That picture was the last one he had with her, because she left shortly after. The reminder sent him into a downward spiral, teetering close to depression and self-harm. The only remedy he had wasn't healthy, but it was legal.

"Well," Natsu said as he put the picture back in the box. "Might as well get drunk."

It was his normal routine after he got dumped - _almost like a tradition_. It was no secret to the people who really knew Natsu that he was still in love with his best friend from high school. Lucy Heartfilia had been the light of his life, but sadly, he hadn't seen her in years.

"Fucking asshole," the pink haired man grunted as he went to the bathroom to shower before his nightly adventure of drinking himself into a stupor.

As he washed his body, he thought about the last conversation he had with his dream girl.

* * *

_"What do you mean you're leaving?" Natsu asked desperately, tears threatening to spill as he watched Lucy pack a bag._

_"I don't have a choice. My father's business is counting on this deal to go through." The blonde, already crying, muttered as she emptied out another drawer into her suitcase._

_"Why the hell do you need to marry that bastard? I don't understand," the pink haired male balled his hands into fists, imagining himself beating the shit out of that pretentious jerk she was destined to marry._

_"I already told you... His father is making the deal with my dad. If I don't go through with this, we'll lose everything. You know we can't pay for my mom's treatment if my father goes broke." Lucy fumbled with the zipper, cursing at herself when she couldn't get the damned thing to work for her._

_"Here," Natsu said, gently moving her hands out of the way to help her out. He hated the way things were playing out, but he knew there wasn't much he could do. It wasn't like he had millions of dollars lying around to help pay for Layla's hospital bills. She had a terminal illness, but the doctors were working hard to use experimental treatments to try to cure her. Unfortunately, the treatments weren't covered by their insurance, so they had to pay out of pocket._

_"Thanks," the blonde mumbled, her lower lip quivering at the thought of her future. She had to give up so much, but it would be worth it if her mother survived this. The worst part of everything was-_

_"I'm gonna miss you," Natsu said, his heart cracking at the thought of never seeing her again._

_-she had to move away. She had to leave her best friend._

_"I'll miss you too."_

_"When do you leave?" He asked, pain in his voice._

_"Now," she said with a broken spirit._

_Natsu pulled her in for a hug. "I love you Lucy..." He held onto her tightly, wishing it was all he had to do to keep her with him. Sadly, he knew it wouldn't work._

_"I love you too," Lucy said, her own arms wrapping around him._

_"I mean it," he promised, hoping she understood._

_"I know what you mean," she knew all along about his feelings for her. What hurt the most was she harbored the same feelings for him, but due to this deal, she had to give them up. She had to give_ him _up. "I'll try to write to you."_

_"I'd like that," the pink haired man clung to the last shred of hope that he could still talk to her again. Even if she moved away, married, possibly had kids, he might still be able to talk to her. It was all he had to hold onto, because he couldn't hold onto her._

* * *

"Liar," Natsu groused as he rinsed himself off. It'd been over four years since he last saw Lucy, and not one damn letter made it to him. He couldn't completely blame her. He knew it must have been hard for her to try to write to him.

It didn't help that her forced-husband hated him.

It might have been due to the various names Natsu called the jerk throughout the years, or maybe it was the punch to the face that did it when he found out the news of their engagement. Either way, he doubted that guy would want Lucy to write to him.

The pink haired man dried off before getting changed. He sent out a mass text to all of his friends asking if anyone wanted to hang out tonight. The mass text only contained two names, Gray and Erza.

That was really it. Everyone else he didn't really talk to. Sure he had work friends, people he talked to at the gym, but that was about it. Ever since Lucy left, he felt himself slipping further and further away from reality. It felt like she took his heart with her, because ever since then, he didn't feel the same way about things anymore.

His string of failed relationships was proof in itself that he changed over the years. His longest relationship was about four months, and that was because the girl traveled for work most of the time. All the girls he dated had things in common.

Blonde hair.

That was really his only standard. If he squinted one his eye and didn't look out of the other one, he could imagine he was with Lucy. It was an unhealthy and delusional way to go about life, but he didn't care. He already found the only girl he was going to love, but he couldn't have her.

He honestly tried to give it a shot with the first few girls he dated after Lucy left. He tried to love them, but there was always something missing. They couldn't fill the hole Lucy left in his heart. He sometimes doubted anyone could.

Ultimately it didn't matter, because every girl dumped him in the end. They'd either find his box, or they'd figure out that he just wasn't into the relationship as much as they were. He couldn't blame them for leaving, because they had the right to be happy. Natsu just couldn't provide that to them.

_"I feel like you're not really in this relationship."_

_"Do you even care about me?"_

_"Why won't you say I love you back?"_

_"It's like I don't even exist!"_

_"Who the hell is Lucy? And why do you have tons of pictures and notes from her?"_

He knew he should stop trying to replace Lucy. It wasn't fair to all the women he dated. It would be nicer for him to decline offers and just accept that he would die alone. His friends tried to set him up on dates, but that never worked out. Especially since they purposely avoided any girls with blonde hair.

He knew they knew about his love for the Heartfilia heiress, but they didn't outright say it. He preferred it that way, because otherwise he might have to face reality. He wasn't anywhere near ready to face that.

Natsu received two texts by the time he was ready to leave his apartment. One was from Erza, saying she was busy and asking if he was alright. The other was from Gray, saying he was looking after his kids tonight since Juvia was at work.

The pink haired man sighed, already knowing he was going to get responses like that. It's not like people line up to get drunk at a bar on a Thursday night. He debated texting his cousin Gajeel, but he remembered him and his new wife Levy were going out of town this weekend.

Natsu truly was alone.

"That's alright," he said to himself as he closed the door to his apartment. "Fire whiskey can be my friend tonight."

He tried to laugh, but nothing came out. Who was he kidding? There wasn't anything funny about his problems. He was a single, twenty-two year old, borderline alcoholic, who was still in love with a girl he hadn't seen in years.

It was cold out, so he wore a jacket with the hood covering his pink locks. He tucked his beloved scarf into his outerwear, making sure it stayed hidden. He walked through Magnolia, heading towards his favorite bar. It was called Fairy Tail, and it was run by some nice people. They never judged him when he came in. Entering the building, he headed straight for the bar.

"Hey Natsu," a white haired girl said, already grabbing a glass for his order. He always got the same thing, making it his usual.

"Hey Lisanna," he said, though his tone was less than pleasant. He really should have prepared himself to see people before rushing out of his apartment, but he was already here. He cleared his throat before saying, "can I get a-"

"Fire whiskey?" She asked, pouring the drink before he ordered.

"Yeah," he realized maybe he comes in a little too often. As she made his drink, he started up a light conversation. "How's the kids?"

"They're great," she laughed as she set the drink on fire with a lighter. "A handful sometimes, but we're managing."

"That's good," he took the drink in his hands. "Tell your husband I said hi."

"I will," Lisanna smiled as she went to the cash register. "Do you want to open a tab?"

"Yup," he said, popping the 'p'. He had plenty of money to waste since he lived alone in a small apartment. The only people he had to take care of was him and his cat, so it left his wallet pretty full.

Lisanna left him alone for a while, knowing Natsu's routine. He'd drink about five or six before getting tipsy, then she'd call him a cab so he'd make it home safe. It was the same every time he came in, so she didn't expect anything unusual to happen.

But tonight was anything but usual.

Natsu gulped down his drink quickly, letting the harsh flavor burn his throat. He felt the alcohol travel down to his stomach where it created a nice fire in his belly. He set his head on the bar, letting his hood act as a barrier between his cheek and the wooden surface.

He always did this, letting the alcohol flow through him before ordering another. It allowed him to really feel what the liquid did to his body, but it also hindered his awareness.

He vaguely heard the sound of a stool scraping against the floor as it was pulled away from the bar, before he heard the creak of wood from added weight to the stool.

"Can I get a shot of vodka?" A familiar female's voice sounded from behind his head, since he was looking at the wall and away from the other people in the place.

"Sure thing," Natsu heard Lisanna say before the girl gasped. "It's really you!"

"It is," the female answered, though she didn't sound as enthusiastic as Lisanna did.

"What are you doing here? I thought you moved to Crocus?"

"It's a long story," she sighed, "can I tell you later? I'm having a really bad night."

"Sure thing!" The bartender said as she poured a shot of vodka for her old friend.

Natsu still had his head resting on the bar. He recognized that voice, but he blew it off, knowing he must be daydreaming again. He did that a lot, and was always disappointed when he looked for confirmation. At least this way, he could enjoy the daydream for a little longer before facing reality again.

"Thanks," the female said when she received her shot. The girl downed it before sucking in air. "Damn that's strong."

"Only the best for you Lucy!"

Natsu's eyes widened when he heard that. _'Lucy?'_ He almost lifted his head, but he remained still. _'There's no way. She wouldn't just show up here, of all places, after being gone for years... It's gotta be a different girl.'_

"You're way too sweet Lisanna. How much do I owe you?" The familiar voice said again, definitely sounding like the Lucy he knew back then.

"That one's on the house. You have no idea how much everyone's missed you!" Lisanna said, her voice light and filled with mirth.

Natsu gulped. _'If this was really-'_

"I missed everyone too. How have you been? I see a wedding ring on your finger, did you get married?"

"I did!" Lisanna cheered. "I met a guy in college and we just clicked. We've been married two years. I also have two sons. My oldest turned one a few months ago, and the other is still three months old."

"That's great!" The female that sounded like Lucy said. "What about the other girls? Levy, Juvia and Erza. How are they doing?"

Natsu slowly lifted his head up, making sure to keep his eyes on the counter. He didn't want to look over at the girl, because he was truly terrified that this was just a really vivid daydream. He didn't think he could take it if he looked over and saw no one there... Or perhaps a different girl who just sounded like the woman he loved.

He continued to stare at the counter while the girls talked, his mind racing with wild possibilities.

"Levy and Gajeel got married a few months ago, Erza and Jellal are finally engaged, and Juvia has been living with Gray for almost four years now. They haven't gotten married or anything, but they already have two kids. One boy and a girl." Lisanna answered, the sound of liquid pouring could be heard through the talking.

"Sounds like everyone's doing great," the girl spoke, though her tone was dry. "How's Na..." The lady gulped. "How's Mirajane?"

"She's great. She finally started dating-"

"Hey Lisanna! Can we get another round over here!" A male called from across the bar.

"Sure thing!" The white haired girl hollered back before lowering her voice. "I'll be right back."

"Take your time," the girl replied with a soft voice.

"Before I go," Lisanna said, sliding a drink until it came into Natsu's view. All he could see was the counter and the drink. He pulled his head back to avoid getting licked by the flames. "Here's another one."

"Th-thanks," Natsu said through a lump in his throat. His shaky fingers grabbed the glass, but he made no effort to bring it to his lips yet. He heard Lisanna walking away, leaving him alone with his daydream.

He felt paranoid, like someone was watching him. Carefully, he blew out the fire, watching the smoke dissipate in the air. Slowly, he lifted the drink up until the rim of the glass hit his chapped lips.

_'It's now or never.'_

He threw the drink back, letting his hood fall down with the action, revealing his spiky pink hair. The harsh burn he felt in his throat was nothing compared to the pounding in his chest. His heart was pumping on overdrive, trying to regulate his panicked self.

He didn't want to look over. He knew if he did, he'd face the reality that he wasn't ready for. The gasp he heard was enough to cause his eye to twitch as he finished his drink. He set the empty glass on the table, letting the rest of the alcohol enter his system.

"Natsu?" The girl who sounded way too familiar spoke, her voice laced with confusion and surprise.

The pink haired man forced a smile on his face as he slowly turned to look at the girl. He tensed when he saw that blonde hair, just as golden as it was the last day he saw her. He found her eyes, mesmerized by the deep brown color swirling in the orbs. Her plump lips were parted, as if unable to close her mouth after seeing him.

She wasn't a daydream.

She was really there.

Sitting next to him.

In the bar.

He opened his mouth, letting his hoarse voice sound. "Hey Luce, how ya been?"

* * *

**Let me know what you think so far. Constructive criticism is always welcomed! Also, I have no idea how often I'll be able to update this. I already know what I want for each chapter, I just need to actually write it. :)**

**PS: I suggest you look up the lyrics for the song, that way you have an idea on what this story is about if you're unsure. :) You don't need to listen to it. If anything just look at the chorus.**


	2. His Vice

**Chapter Two: His Vice**

Natsu stared at the blonde woman, waiting for an answer. Her lips were still parted, surely drying out her mouth. She didn't seem to care as her eyes scanned the man in front of her. Every bottled up emotion Natsu had for her came rushing to the surface, but he forced himself to remain still, not wanting to startle the girl. He was still unsure if this was real, or the most vivid daydream he'd ever had.

_Hell_ , maybe he fell in the shower and never even made it to Fairy Tail tonight. He could be bleeding to death in the tub, dreaming about, _well_ , his dream girl.

"Hi," she finally said, after a few awkward minutes of silence.

Hearing her speak and seeing her speak were two completely different things. He didn't expect his heart to crash against his chest at the sound of her sweet voice, as if the organ was trying to get closer to her. He swallowed hard, still tasting whiskey on his tongue. "How ya been?" He repeated himself, unsure if she heard him the first time.

"Goo-" She stopped herself, her eyes averting his gaze. "Bad," she confessed, looking as if he might shame her for telling the truth.

Taking a second glance at her, she really did look _bad_. She wasn't dressed like an heiress. She wore a faded red tank top, ripped jeans, no jewelry, and no make up. Her hair definitely needed a brush ran through it, dark bags were under her eyes, and her skin looked oddly pale. Of course the skin color could be because he hadn't seen her in so long. Maybe that's just what she looked like now. The only thing that looked 'high maintenance' on her, was her fake, blue nails.

"You look terrible," he blurted out, wincing when she slapped his arm.

"Hey! You're not supposed to tell a girl that!" She ran her fingers through her hair as if it would magically make it better. It didn't. A bit of pink tinted her cheeks, but he figured it was due to her being embarrassed, and not flustered.

He used to love making her blush.

"Whatcha doing in this place?" He asked, knowing this place was below the standards of an heiress. Sure she was still Lucy, but he never thought she'd be in a bar... Especially on a Thursday night in Magnolia.

"Well I could probably ask you the same thing?" She cocked her head, giving him a wane smile. It didn't reach her eyes, letting him know she was forcing the expression. Still, the little smile stung his heart. He struggled to come up with an answer to her question.

Immediately, he felt his ears burning up when he realized he had none. It felt like the area raised at least ten degrees. He tugged his scarf from the inside of his hoodie, cooling him down some in the process. "I uhh," how was he supposed to say _"this is my tradition after I get dumped. I come here, drink til I forget, then go back home to my lonely apartment where even my cat seems annoyed with me... All because I can't get over... well... you."_

No, he definitely couldn't tell her _that._

"Drinking," he finally answered, showing her his empty glass as if she hadn't seen it already. "You want another round?" He offered, remembering how he used to buy all her drinks back when they were in high school. Of course those drinks were of the _non-alcoholic_ variety, and usually ended up being pink lemonade or soda.

Lucy's smile grew, her eyes showing the faintest sign of life as she said, "well if you're buying then you know I'll drink."

"What'll you have," Natsu asked, raising his hand to catch the bartender's attention. He was relieved for the subject change, because his heart couldn't stand to beat much faster. His palms even started getting sweaty, something that hadn't happened in years. He was unbelievably nervous, and he couldn't seem to get a grip on himself.

"Make it a seven on seven," Lucy said, eyes flashing over to the white haired girl who was now in front of them.

Before Lisanna could say anything, Natsu asked, "do you want it on the rocks?"

She nodded, letting them both know what she wanted. They watched the bartender pour the whiskey into the ice-filled glass. Then she mixed in the 7 Up, stirring it before handing it to the blonde. "Enjoy," Lisanna said before turning to Natsu. "What about you?"

"Let's get some shots," he glanced over to Lucy, seeing she wasn't objecting. "Two shots of Grey Goose."

A white brow rose at the request. Natsu _never_ changed his order, always getting the fire whiskey when he came in. It was his vice, and she never thought he'd try something different. She held back a smirk as she went to get the top shelf liquor. She didn't need to ask, knowing this would all go on his tab.

Lucy sipped her mixed drink while Natsu ran a hand through his hair. He had thought about seeing Lucy again so many times, thought about what he'd say when they finally reunited, but none of that came to mind now. He was drawing a blank, wondering what he could possibly say.

His green eyes flitted back to her drink, then they widened when he saw her left hand. "You're not wearing your wedding ring," he commented without thinking. He realized it sounded rude to say when he saw her flinch.

"Oh," she pulled her hand back, letting her drink block his view. "I, I lost it."

The tiniest bit of hope that seemed to come to life in Natsu's body died in an instant. He thought, well it doesn't matter what he thought now. Besides, he clearly saw the spot where her ring should have been. It was lighter than the rest, the classic wedding band tan line.

He felt stupid.

Pathetic and stupid.

"Always losing stuff," he choked out, feeling like he was in a losing battle with himself. _'Where the hell is Lisanna with those shots?'_

"Here you go," the bartender said, startling him. He swore she showed up out of nowhere, but he was probably just zoning out again. He had a habit of doing that a lot. It helped the time pass by faster.

"Thanks," Natsu grabbed the shot, sliding the other one to Lucy. "Cheers?" He held it out, waiting for her to pick up the tiny glass.

She took it, moving her hand so the rim could clink with his own. They brought them to their lips, opening their mouths and letting the strong liquid pour down their throats. Lucy slammed her glass down, choking as the burn made its way through her system. "Fuck," she hissed.

Natsu felt the familiar burn, but he didn't have as strong of a reaction as Lucy did. He guessed she didn't drink very often, or if she did, it wasn't strong stuff. As sad as it was to admit, Natsu spent the nights he was single drinking. It helped numb the pain. When he dated women, it was easier to control the urge, because he had someone to keep him distracted from his painful thoughts.

Tonight... well he wasn't sure what tonight was. He hadn't gotten drunk with anyone in a while. The last time was with the girl he used as a booty call every now and then, but in his defense, she used him just the same. That was the only girl he could be himself with, because she might have been just as fucked up as him.

She was the only girl who didn't get mad at him when he slipped up and called her _'Lucy'_ in bed. Of course in return, the girl called him by a different name. They had an understanding, no matter how messed up it might be. It worked for them, and that was all that mattered at the time.

It wasn't the best deal in the world, since his booty call looked nothing like the gorgeous girl in front of him, aside from her blonde hair. His fingers twitched, wanting to touch Lucy's golden locks. He resisted the urge, knowing it would overstep a boundary.

Lucy was a married woman. He couldn't have her, no matter how much he wanted her. It was probably a bad thing seeing her again. It only reminded him of how much pain and anguish he'd been through the last four years. All the lonely nights, all the drunken hookups, all the tears.

"How late are you staying out?" Lucy asked, glancing over to a dusty clock on the wall. She successfully brought him out of his second attempt at zoning out, or maybe it was his third? He wasn't really good at handling himself when he got like this.

Natsu never paid attention to the time when he was at the bar. The bartender - _whoever it happened to be whenever he came in to get drunk_ \- always knew when to cut him off, sending him home in a cab so he didn't disturb the peace. The walk to his apartment wasn't very long, but his wobbly legs weren't good for shit after he got trashed, plus he tended to spout off about random shit that no one cared to hear. It was better to send him home so he could just pass out on his couch, always being too drunk to make it to his bed.

"As late as I can." He glared at the clock, as if it were trying to defy him. "I'm not gonna let some _tick tock_ stop me from having a good time." _'Or a bad time...'_

Lucy let out a giggle, the sound making Natsu's heart ache. He still had it bad for her, even after four years. He felt a heaviness settle on his chest, or maybe it was the alcohol finally kicking in... who knew? He sure didn't.

He finally fully looked at her, unknowingly revealing the one major change to himself since she left. "Oh god! What happened to your face?"

Natsu jolted away from her shriek, his sensitive ears stinging from her sudden outburst. His fingers came up on instinct, wondering what she was talking about. It wasn't until the pads of his fingertips rubbed over the jagged piece of flesh running up his right cheek, that he realized what she meant.

"Oh, this?" He asked, his digits tracing the scar. "I got it during a fight with my brother."

"Zeref did that to you? On purpose?"

"No, it was an accident. Fucker didn't take off his ring before he punched me. We were just messing around. It wasn't supposed to leave me disfigured," Natsu grumbled, remembering how much his face bled when it happened. "That was a few years ago."

The blonde's startled eyes finally calmed down when she realized how inappropriate her reaction was. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be so rude."

"I'm sure you didn't," he mumbled, now self-conscious about his face. The pang in his heart only grew stronger the more those brown eyes watched him. It was easier to be mad at her than to face his own issues.

"You don't look disfigured," she finally offered, her tone soft. "I was just surprised is all. I'm sorry..."

"Don't worry about it," Natsu couldn't meet her gaze, feeling out of place, which was odd since this was usually the only place he didn't feel judged. "I'm used to it now."

"So," Lucy started slowly, sipping at her mixed drink again. It was already half gone. "H-have you been dating?" She didn't know what else to say.

The pang in his chest was still felt even with his body going numb. _'Getting personal that fast?'_ He figured they were due some questions, conversations, but he thought they'd start out lighter like, _"how's your family."_ Speaking of which, he wondered how her family was.

If he wanted to ask, he had to get past her question first. "Yeah, a bit," he mumbled, hoping that was enough. Clearly it wasn't.

"Do you have a girlfriend?"

He suppressed the urge to sigh, "nope. Newly single."

She raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"I just got dumped a few hours ago," he muttered quickly, wishing his voice didn't sound so angry. He was upset that his girlfriend broke up with him, he just didn't want to talk about it. He wondered if it would be rude to abruptly change the subject.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Lucy said timidly, lowing her eyes to her drink.

_'Yeah, I bet you are,'_ he thought, knowing it would probably make her happy if he was with someone. She must have known how hard it was for him to try to move on after she left, so if he was with someone, it could lessen her guilt.

The sigh he was holding back finally emerged, letting out his frustration. There was no reason for Lucy to feel guilty, and he knew that. It wasn't her fault he fell for a girl he could never have. Even if things turned out differently, and she wasn't forced to marry that douche, he still couldn't have her. Jude Heartfilia, her father, made sure to drill that little knowledge in his head early on.

* * *

_"My daughter is destined to marry someone of worth. I'll allow you to be her friend, but know that nothing else can come of it. She deserves someone with a title, not some kid who'll never amount to anything. Do you understand, boy?"_

_"I hear you loud and clear," Natsu grumbled, his fifteen year old self feeling lower than dirt. "I won't mess up her future."_

_"Good. You can go play with my daughter now, but if I see you or hear of you crossing a line, there will be consequences."_

_The younger Natsu shuttered, not knowing exactly what he meant. It was the main reason he never made a move on Lucy, for fear of what he might do._

* * *

Natsu shook his head, ridding himself of the first memory he had of Lucy's father. Over the years the man eventually warmed up to the pink haired teen, but it still wasn't enough. No matter what he did, he could never be good enough for his 'precious daughter'.

He just wished Lucy had her own choice on who she'd end up with. He felt like maybe if she did, he might have had a chance at winning her heart. He knew if he did, he'd do whatever it took to keep her happy. He loved her, more than he loved himself. She was his everything, but he was just her friend. It didn't seem fair, but that was life.

It was then that he realized he hadn't said anything for a few minutes. "Don't be sorry," he tried to laugh, but it sounded mangled and bitter. "I'm fine, really."

"Is that why you're drinking?" She looked almost scared to ask, but he couldn't blame her. He made things awkward by admitting that he got kicked to the curb. It really wasn't something to bring up to the married woman he couldn't have, but still longed for.

"Kinda," he really didn't want to mention his tradition. He already felt pathetic. He didn't want to add to it. Especially since this was the first time seeing his best friend in years. _'Am I still her best friend?'_ The question nagged him more and more with every passing second.

_'No. She would have tried to keep in touch if I was. I doubt I'm anything to her now...'_

"What are you doing in Magnolia?" He asked, changing the topic. He was tired of talking about himself, since he rarely ever did it. He definitely noticed her body tense at the simple question. He could see goosebumps forming on her arms as she stalled to answer.

Natsu figured he made her upset, but he didn't know how. "If you don't want to say, that's fine."

She remained silent, letting him know she didn't want to answer. He sighed, trying to think of something to say. This really wasn't going like he thought it might have, but of course in all his daydreams he wasn't trying to get drunk at a bar when they had their little reunion.

"How was the wedding?" He asked, instantly regretting his question. He knew better than to bring it up, but still his dumb brain thought it'd be the perfect conversation starter.

"It was good," she said, neither looking at each other. "I wish you could have gone." It felt like a whole minute passed before she added, "I hope you understand why you weren't invited."

"Oh I understand perfectly," he sneered, then quickly grunted, "sorry..." He hated that he kept jumping back and forth between passive aggressive and friendly. He knew it was making things worse, but he couldn't help himself. He didn't think alcohol was to blame either. He was just dealing with a shit-ton of emotions bubbling up inside him, threatening to spill out due to his stubborn attempt at keeping them down for years. He wished things were easier between them, but he doubted it was possible. Not now anyway, and maybe not ever...

"It's okay..."

"I'm actually glad you didn't invite me," he assured. There was no way he would have enjoyed himself being at a wedding where Lucy wasn't his bride. In a hushed voice, he whispered, "I probably would have tried to steal you away..."

Natsu was sure she didn't hear him. She sipped her drink until all that was left was ice. Music started playing in the background, filling in the silence. He forgot on Thursday nights they had live bands play. He hadn't heard of this cover band, but the music was actually pretty good.

He was so caught up in the lyrics that he almost missed Lucy whisper, "I wish you would have."

His eyes snapped over to the blonde, but she was looking away from him. Her head was turned, leaving her eyes a mystery. She raised her hand, signalling Lisanna. The white haired woman came up, a cheerful smile on her face as she asked, "need another?"

"I was actually going to ask if I could get something sweet. Do you have any drinks with pink lemonade in them?" Lucy's simple question made Natsu's blood roar. Every memory involving pink lemonade and the blonde came crashing to the front of his mind. One in particular stuck out among the rest.

* * *

_"Could you stop slurping so loud?" The teenage girl groaned as she listened to her best friend sip the last remaining drops out of his cup._

_"But it's soooo good!" Natsu sipped more, filling the air with the annoying noise._

_"It can't be thaaat good," Lucy reasoned, scooting closer to the pink haired teen. They were on the couch in her living room, all their other friends had already left for the day. Natsu had convinced her to walk down the street to buy slushies about twenty minutes ago, which she was now regretting saying yes to the silly request, since he was making so much noise._

_"It's pretty damn good," he laughed, holding out his drink for her to try. "Have a taste."_

_She glanced down at the chewed up straw, then back at those green eyes. Natsu expected her to swat his empty drink away, since she didn't like the mango flavor he chose. What he didn't expect was her to lean in, her soft lips easily capturing his since he was caught off guard._

_His eyes widened, but his body remained still. The kiss was brief, lasting maybe a few seconds. When she pulled back, he noticed the slight moisture on her lips. His tongue flicked out, running along his bottom lip as he tried to make sense of what just happened._

_The only thing he could think of was, 'damn. Maybe next time I'll get the pink lemonade flavor...'_

* * *

Of course that memory was marred by the fact that Lucy immediately apologized, saying she didn't know what came over her. Before Natsu had a chance to tell her he actually _enjoyed_ the kiss, she asked him if they could pretend it never happened. She practically begged him to forget...

Pain pricked at his heart, and his throat closed up from the memory of his first kiss. He felt like a heavy weight was sitting on his chest, making it difficult to breathe.

"I need to take a piss," Natsu announced, not waiting for a reply. He stood up, leaving Lucy and Lisanna with questioning expressions.

The blonde watched the pink haired man roam through the bar until he disappeared down a hall that she assumed was where the bathrooms were located.

"He sure has changed, hasn't he?" Lisanna's voice rang in Lucy's ear.

The blonde turned to her old friend, cocking her head. "He has?" She could tell he had a little. His attitude wasn't as bright anymore, his anger getting the better of him. She was trying to ignore it, but it was becoming difficult.

"He hasn't been the same since you left," the bartender started as she poured Lucy another drink. "I worry about him... We all do..."

Lucy was about to ask what she meant, but Lisanna was already sliding the pink drink in front of her. "I don't know what you're doing in town, but try to be easy on him..."

The white haired woman looked over towards the bathrooms, seeing Natsu was already heading back to the bar. The frown on his face was enough to let her know this night wasn't turning out like he hoped. She saw him run his hand through his hair, ruffling it more.

The blonde wanted to ask what she meant. Was she being hard on him? And why was everyone worrying about him? She assumed he was just upset because he got dumped recently, but maybe there was another reason?

Before Natsu reached the bar, Lisanna whispered, "please don't break his heart again." Her voice wasn't threatening or harsh. Instead it was filled with a sadness that could only come from truly caring about her friend's well-being.

Lucy looked stunned, hurt by what Lisanna was implying. "What do you mean?"

The bartender sighed, "he's not here _just_ because he broke up with his girlfriend." That was all she said before walking away to tend to another group of people who called her over for more drinks. Natsu took a seat at the bar, a faraway look in his deep green eyes.

"Natsu..." She spoke, gaining his attention. He looked up at her surprised, as if he hadn't noticed she was there. She waited a few seconds before saying, "be honest with me... Did I break your heart?"

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the kudos and hits! Thank you LovinmyOTPs & The_Insane_Twin for commenting! Your support means a lot!  
> Until next time with, Chapter Three: Her Vice.


	3. Her Vice

**Possible triggers! Read with caution.**

**Chapter Three: Her Vice**

Natsu washed his hands after using the urinal. A deep scowl was present on his face, his eyebrows knitting in aggravation. Tonight really wasn't turning out like he wanted it to. He was a creature of habit, and this night made him feel like he was riding an emotional roller coaster, which sucked in two ways.

Not only was he now reminded of his motion sickness, causing him to run to a stall and empty his stomach into the toilet bowl. _'There goes my alcohol...'_ But it also made him unhappy to see Lucy again. Maybe if the situation was different, and he'd met her again while out in town, or maybe at a party with their friends, things would be better. This was the last place he wanted her to find him, because it was where he went to unwind.

Natsu washed his hands again, then wiped some cold water on his forehead. He stared at the man in the mirror looking back at him for a few seconds. He hated himself. It was the only truth he knew at the moment. The person he became, the person he grew up to be, he didn't like him. He wasn't sure if it was too late to change, because at this point things seemed hopeless.

For the longest time, he thought all he had to do was see Lucy again, and everything in his life would fall into place. Coming face to face with reality wasn't settling well for him. Nothing was better, in fact it was worse. Lucy was still married, and he was single and alone. He had no idea why she chose to show up tonight, and at Fairy Tail of all places, but now he had to deal with the real world in the place he always tried to lose himself.

It made his mind a mess.

He considered just leaving. It would be easy. _"I have work in the morning, so I guess I'll see you around Luce."_ Yeah, he could already imagine himself saying that. He was foolish for thinking they could just pick up where they last left off. Too many things were different, and too many things were the same. He was still in love with her. The rapid beating of his heart whenever he saw her was enough to prove that to him. He didn't want to let his heart get crushed by her again, because he knew he couldn't even blame her. It wasn't Lucy's fault he loved her. It wasn't anyone's fault but his own.

_'Yeah, I should just leave.'_ He decided, knowing it would make things better for everyone. He could stop by the liquor store on his way home, buy a bottle there and drink at his apartment... alone... like a true alcoholic.

The man cringed, then ran a hand through his pink hair. He didn't want to do that either. At least in a bar he could try to seem normal, but at his apartment, he couldn't fool himself. He'd had many, _many_ drunken nights at his place, and it always ended up the same:

Natsu laying either on the floor or on the couch, crying himself to sleep. The pain was always too much to bear. The realization that he'd be alone forever always took over, and no matter how much he drank, he couldn't chase away those demons that plagued his heart.

If it wasn't for his family, friends, and his job, he didn't know how lost he'd be. He probably wouldn't even leave his house. Opting instead to drink himself to death, because it'd be better than living with this numb feeling surrounding his shattered heart.

"Natsu..."

Natsu jerked his head to the side, shocked to see Lucy sitting next to him. _'When the hell did I leave the bathroom? Did I honestly zone out again? What the hell...?'_ Rarely did he zone out while walking, but it did happen on occasion. He wished he could blame the alcohol, but after throwing up, he didn't feel it's effects anymore. He'd have to start all over, which pissed him off more.

He just wanted to get drunk at the bar, without any huge emotional stress. Was that too much to ask? Probably, considering he asked for that a lot. His luck was bound to run out, but did it have to vanish when Lucy showed up in his life again?

Yes, it absolutely did, because that was his life.

He looked into her brown eyes, noticing the wetness to them, as if she was on the verge of tears. He gave her all of his attention, waiting for whatever she had to say. She opened her mouth, and the words she said made his chest clench.

"Be honest with me... Did I break your heart?"

He opened his mouth to speak, wanting to deny the truth. Had she broken his heart? Yes, without a doubt. Could he tell her that? He didn't think so. It wasn't fair to put the blame on her, even after she wanted the answer. Even after she wanted him to be honest. She had her own life to deal with, it wouldn't be right to drag her into his turmoil and self-pity.

He had every intention of saying no, but at the last second, he seemed to lose control over his vocal chords. "You sure as hell didn't leave it whole." Green eyes widened as he realized he just admitted it was true. He stumbled with his words, searching for some type of redemption.

"I-I mean, look... It's not, that's not what I meant." He ran his hands through his hair, ruffling his locks more. "I didn't mean to say it like that, it's just-" He was losing it. His heart was beating so hard he could feel it in his throat, or maybe that was from the lump forming. Either way, it was uncomfortable. Hell, his whole body felt uncomfortable. He really should have just left when he had the chance. "I don't want to talk about it."

That seemed like a reasonable answer. Avoidance. It worked so far for the last four years, pushing his real issues to the side and pretending like they weren't there. He could do it again. One more night wouldn't kill him, wouldn't hurt anything.

Lucy on the other hand, wasn't satisfied with that answer. Instead of giving it attention, she went to the second thing that was bothering her. "Did you tell Lisanna you broke up with your girlfriend?"

He caught the hint of jealousy in her tone, it was unmistakable. "I didn't have to tell her. She already knew."

"How?" Lucy's insecurities were palpable, even to the pink haired man who usually chose to remain oblivious to real emotions. It almost made him mad that she felt the right to be jealous, even if there was nothing to be jealous about.

"First of all, my girlfriend dumped me. We didn't break up. Secondly, it's 'cause this isn't the first time it's happened." He didn't mean to snap, but his words came out harsh, cold. He had to work hard to keep his voice low, to avoid disrupting the other patrons. He glared at her, his teeth grinding into each other as he waited for the reply that was sure to come.

"What do you mean?" Lucy asked, her left hand absentmindedly picking at her right wrist. Anxiety bubbled up, making it difficult for her to breathe easily.

"I _mean_ , I come here every time a girl breaks up with me. It's... my tradition," now that he said it out loud, he realized how sad it sounded. It wasn't a tradition, it was a way to forget how much pain he was in, a coping mechanism. His voice lost its angry tone for a second, before he realized what he just said. He didn't want to deal with the embarrassment anymore. This night was hard enough without having to explain himself.

"You know what, fuck this," Natsu grabbed his wallet from his back pocket to pay for the drinks. "I'm done. I'll just go somewhere else and leave you alone."

Before he could raise his hand to get Lisanna's attention, Lucy pleaded, "Natsu, please don't go." Her voice was weak, barely above a whisper.

"Why? I'm sick of getting berated. This is who I am Lucy," as he said the words, he realized how true they were. This was who he was. He was a sad, lonely man, still in love with a woman he could never have.

Suddenly, his anger spiked as he glowered at the woman, "why don't you see how it feels for a bit? Hey Lucy, how's your life been the past _four_ years. I have no idea because you never bother writing me. How's your billion dollar company going? Having fun living a life full of diamonds and pearls while everyone else is working their ass off to barely get by. How's the married life treating you?"

He was seeing red when he finally said, "you know what, I have a better question. Why the fuck are you even here."

The blonde gawked at Natsu, clearly not expecting him to rant at her. She sorted through what he said, some things stinging more than others. Lucy ignored all the questions except one, going straight for it because it bothered her the most. "How long did you expect me to wait for a reply before I got discouraged? I think I waited a fair amount of time!"

Lucy didn't realize she said the last sentence rather loud. Some eyes wandered over to them, checking out the scene at the bar. Many people speculated that they were a couple going through a lover's spat, while others just didn't care enough to come up with a reason for her outburst.

After a silent pause between them, Natsu asked in a low, but abrasive tone, "what the hell are you talking about? What reply?"

"The letters!" She cringed, now figuring out how loud she was being. She steadied her volume so only he could hear. "I wrote you one letter a month for fourteen months, and you never replied. Not even once. I even sent you stamps in the last letter, hoping you would take the hint. I figured you didn't want to talk to me, so I gave up. So you have no right to say I never bothered to write to you."

"I never got anything from you," Natsu accused, appalled that she would tell an outright lie to his face. She had to have a lot of guts to do something that bold.

"That's impossible. I wrote the address perfectly," Lucy shook her head, not believing what he said. "Maybe you moved out of your parent's house right after I left, and they didn't tell you I was writing." She remembered writing his address carefully. With each passing month, she made sure to write it more clearly, even checking it three times before she was satisfied.

Now Natsu knew she was lying. "No, they know to tell me if I got anything, and besides, I didn't move out until a year later. You have no excuses." His glare was borderline murderous. He'd rather her be honest and say she just didn't want to write to him instead of pretending like she did. It was insulting, and honestly hurt his feelings. He thought Lucy was better than that.

Lucy could feel tears lining her eyes. "I promise, I wrote to you. I gave them to-" She stopped, her stomach twisting with dread. "I gave them... to my husband... because he said he wanted to read them first... I thought it was only fair..." She didn't want him to think she was cheating on him, so she willingly let him read every letter she wrote to Natsu. "He... He promised he was mailing them right after he read them..."

The pink haired man's stomach clenched painfully. He wanted to believe her, so much that it hurt. He wanted everything she said to be the truth, because if not, he couldn't take it. So, he believed her. If it all turned out to be a lie, well, he'd deal with it later. Right now, all he could say was, "and you believed that sleaze?"

Natsu didn't know if he was more upset at her husband for not sending the letters, or Lucy for trusting that asshole. She could have easily sent a letter in secret. She could have called him on the phone, fuck, she could have emailed him!

If Lucy didn't want to make the effort, then he wouldn't either. "It doesn't matter anyway, the damage is already done," he sneered, staring ahead at the shelves containing Fairy Tail's liquors. He really wanted a fire whiskey right now to slay his demons. His heart was already growing cold again.

After several minutes of silence, he finally heard her speak again. "What damage?"

He wanted to scoff, because to him, it was obvious. All the women, all the booze, all the lonely nights, all the times he lost hope, only to start over again, wishing that one day he'd see Lucy again. It was just a cover, a distraction, all for nothing. The damage was his life, who he became, the man he hated.

As if sensing his distress, Lisanna came over and made him a fire whiskey. He tried to say thanks when she slid it across the bar counter to him, but his voice came out sounding hoarse and jagged. She left the two of them alone, letting them settling into the uncomfortable silence around them.

Natsu sipped his drink after blowing out the flames. For a moment he wondered what flames tasted like, before vaguely remembering he tried to eat them once, only to burn his tongue in the process. Yup, he had a lot of low points in his life, and there was no one to blame but himself.

He glanced over, seeing Lucy was staring at her own drink. The pink lemonade was mixed with all sorts of things to give it a sweet, yet alcoholic taste. He'd never had one, but he could smell it from where he sat. He noticed that she was still scratching at her skin, as if zoned out herself. He wondered if she suffered from the same thing he did, but quickly cast that thought aside.

Lucy and him had nothing in common, except being at the same place and the same time.

Natsu felt like an idiot for wishing they'd met again. It would have been better to go on living his life like usual. Now he had proof that they weren't compatible anymore. He'd rather be blissfully ignorant, but he can't change things now. He still wanted to leave, but he had more questions forming.

He looked up at her face, seeing the darkness under her eyes. She had a faraway look, as if reliving something. Despite her dull appearance, she was still beautiful. He wondered why she looked so distraught, so worn down. He'd never seen her look so low in her life, yet she wasn't fessing up to anything. He still had no idea why she was even in this place, or in this town for that matter.

She lived in Crocus, and that was a good twenty-four hours away with drive time. He assumed she flew into town, but she had a keychain sticking out of her pocket, which made him think she drove here. _'It could always be a rental car...'_ He chose to stop wondering, the thoughts of vehicles making his insides swirl in disgust.

Lucy's vision slowly blurred the longer they remained silent. At first she was waiting, desperate to hear what he had to say, but he didn't utter anything. What damage was done? He looked fine to her. The last four years had been kind to him, making the young man she knew back then grow into a handsome adult. His hair was still that vibrant pink that she loved, his green eyes still full of fire. They would dull every once in a while, mainly when he looked at her.

It hurt, but she had to accept it. It was dumb to think he would still hold feelings for her after all these years apart. She left him, and only offered him letters... Letters he didn't even get. She wished she could yell at her husband, but that wouldn't end well for her. It never did...

* * *

_Lucy held back her tears as she slipped into her bed. It was around four in the afternoon, and the mail had just arrived. Once again, there was nothing from Natsu. She fought with herself, trying to will the pain away. She couldn't blame him for not writing back, but it still brought her this hollow feeling in her chest. She just wanted to hear from him, but he couldn't bother to talk to her._

_"Still no letter?" A man's voice rang at the entrance of her room. Scratch that, 'their room'. His voice held amusement, no trace of sympathy to be found._

_She didn't attempt to answer. He already knew there was no letter, he was just insulting her foolishness. He wanted her to know how gullible she was to think that someone would actually care enough to write to her._

_Today was the day she was going to send the fifteenth letter, begging Natsu to say something, anything. She almost slipped it into the mailbox, even though her husband hadn't read it yet, but she saw the mail had already arrived for the day. When she saw nothing from Natsu, she ripped up the letter she was going to send. She waited long enough. He obviously wanted nothing to do with her. The way her heart clenched was too much to bear, so she walked slowly to the bedroom, wanting to sleep away her pain. That's when her husband decided to mock her... again._

_"Does it really matter anyway?" Her husband said, his voice accompanied by the sound of shuffling clothes. "You got me. I'm all you'll ever need."_

_Lucy frowned, her tears finally spilling down her face. Since she laid on her side, they pooled on her pillow, making her right cheek soaked. Still, she remained silent, no energy to argue with him. She didn't want him, she wanted Natsu. She knew she couldn't have him, but she still thought they could remain friends. Apparently he didn't want that, otherwise he would have responded at least once. She knew she had this coming, but it still hurt deeply._

_"Get ready," her husband's voice instructed. "I want to go again."_

_She gulped, her whole body shaking. She didn't want to 'go again'. It was more disgusting every time it happened. She could actually feel sanity chipping every time, but to hold up her end of the deal, she had to do it. 'It's for mom...' She always told herself that, but it brought no comfort. She was barely above the status of a whore, selling her body for money. The only difference was this was legal, and the money went to her mother's hospital bills to keep her breathing._

_Slowly, she sat up. The blanket pooled around her waist, leaving her feeling exposed. She stood up, then pulled down her pants and panties. She kept her shirt on, no reason he needed to see all of her. Regardless, she felt the shame wash over her, tainting her, letting her know she wasn't good for anything but making a baby and keeping up appearances that she was a happy wife who loved her life and husband. It was all a facade, a cruel nightmare she couldn't escape... not without hurting her family in the process._

_She laid back down in the center of the bed, with her legs slightly spread. She hated herself, so much. If she knew this was the life she was signing up for, well, to save her mom, she probably would have signed anyway. She just hated that this was her reality. Fresh tears welled up in her brown eyes, but not because Natsu didn't write to her... These tears formed because once again, she was giving up her body, to be used however her husband saw fit._

_She threw an arm over her eyes, shielding him from seeing her pained expression. She clenched her teeth when she felt the bed move. It creaked with the added weight, and she felt his body shift until he was on top of her._

_"Just make it fast," she muttered, praying it would be over in a flash. She just wanted him to finish so she could go to sleep. There was no point in being awake. There was no business meetings or social gatherings tonight, so her presence wasn't required. She had no friends to entertain, so her day was pointless anyway. She just wanted to go to sleep, because it was her sweet release from life._

_A large hand grabbed her wrist, bringing it to the side of her head in an awkward position. She winced in pain, but it went unnoticed by the man hovering over her. "I'll go at whatever pace I want!"_

_His eyes were cold, his smile wicked. She quivered, trying to sink into the mattress, as if it might help her get away from him. He grabbed her harshly, making her jolt away. "Please stop, I... I don't want it right now!" She didn't want it ever, but at least every other time he hadn't been so rough to her in the process._

_She squirmed, trying to get away, but his weight was far heavier than hers. He grabbed her other arm, pinning it above her head. "Shhhhh," his tone was oddly calming, yet she saw the madness in his eyes. "Just stay still, it'll be over before you know it..."_

_Lucy closed her eyes, relieved that he let her do that. She felt every bit of what he did to her, and it made stomach acid rise in her throat many times. It wasn't over before she knew it... She had to suffer through it, and the many times that came after that. The only thing on her mind while she was being used was, 'is this really my life?'_

* * *

"Will you cut that out!" A man's voice broke Lucy out of her flashback. She jerked away when she felt a hand grab her wrist.

"Don't touch me!" She screamed, nearly falling out of her seat when she recoiled away from the touch.

Natsu's eyes grew large, his mouth hanging open. He had no idea what just happened. He had reached over to stop her from scratching herself. She was started to get deep red welts on her flesh, and he figured she didn't even feel it since her mind was obviously not in this moment anymore.

He didn't think he hurt her. He was gentle, barely putting pressure on her skin before she started yelling. Of course her voice carried, gaining everyone's attention. People scowled at Natsu, thinking he was responsible for her outburst. Some people whispered, and his sharp ears caught some of what was said.

"... think he hit her?"

"I saw it, he actually..."

"... call the cops. I bet..."

Natsu glared at the people staring at him. He knew he wasn't in any real trouble. There were cameras all over the bar. He knew for a fact one of them was in the corner facing his direction, which would show he was innocent. Still, that did little to calm his racing mind.

Luckily for him, a loud voice broke the tension. "There's nothing to see here, just go about your business!"

Everyone's eyes snapped over to the large man in the center of the bar. He wore a black shirt with the word _security_ on the back. Everyone in the place knew him as 'The Beast', Fairy Tail's best security guard, but to a select few, he was known as...

"Thanks Elfman," the pink haired man muttered when the burly man came up to check on them. Some people turned away, deciding they'd rather not get involved, but the majority of the patrons were still staring at the trio.

"What happened?" The white haired man got straight to the point. His sister, Lisanna, had asked him to step in, and he knew it'd be unmanly to deny her request.

"I honestly don't know. I just touched her wrist and she freaked out," Natsu didn't bother sugar-coating it. He knew Elfman had no room for funny business when he was on the job, so he answered him immediately and truthfully.

The large man turned to Lucy, seeing the blonde for the first time in years as well. "Lucy? What are you doing here?" He lost his serious demeanor in a second, choosing instead to crush the girl in a hug. "We all missed you."

Natsu held back the growl that was forming in his throat. He never liked seeing other men touch Lucy, even if it was just hugging. He never said anything though, knowing she had a right to touch whoever she wanted to. It wasn't his business, even if he didn't like it. It was one of the reasons he was glad he wasn't invited to Lucy's wedding. He wouldn't have been able to see her with her husband, especially when they had to kiss at the end of the ceremony.

"I missed... you too..." She seemed lost, as if dazed by the whole situation. To her, she was just grabbed by her husband, but now she was in the bar, safe but confused. "What happened?"

Elfman pulled away from her, his eyebrows knitting together at her question. "That's what I want to know. A girl yells 'don't touch me' in here, and we take it seriously. Are you okay? Did Natsu hurt you?"

The pink haired man didn't say anything. He didn't want to influence Lucy's answer in any way. He kept his eyes on her drink, not daring to look into her eyes. He knew what really happened, but he was curious as to what she would say. He'd never seen a girl look so spooked before, it was alarming to say the least.

"Natsu didn't hurt me. I just had a moment. It won't happen again, I promise." She frowned, realizing she might have caused problems for her best friend. She didn't intend on that to happen, she just reacted how she always did when her husband touched her. Clearly she wasn't in her right mind, so she'd have to be careful with what she said and did from now on to avoid anything like this happening again.

"I'm sorry to cause a disturbance," the blonde mumbled, her eyes dropped to her lap. She saw the wrist she was worrying with her nails. It was nothing compared to the skin currently covering in clothes. She felt the prick behind her eyes, the tell-tale sign that she was about to cry again. "Excuse me, I need to go to the bathroom."

She stood up, then walked to the place Natsu came from not to long ago. When she was out of range, Natsu looked up at Elfman. "Can you check the security cameras. I really don't want anyone thinking I hurt her or anything."

"I trust you," the white haired man nodded, "but if it'll make you feel better, I'll go run back there and look at 'em."

"Thanks," he sighed, relieved that there were cameras to back him up.

"It's crazy, seeing her again after so long," Elfman started before making his exit. "She looks almost the same."

Natsu nodded, knowing what he was implying. There were obvious differences, but most could be blamed on a lack of sleep. He was sure with a little sun and some rest, she'd look like her old self. Despite her worn down appearance, the years had been kind to her. He had to hand it to Jude and Layla, they made a pretty daughter.

Lucy came back to the bar quickly. She had splashed some cold water on her face, trying to make herself feel better. She glanced up at Natsu, seeing him fidget in his seat. "I'm sorry for that," she said, startling him. "Can we..." She almost asked if they could pretend it never happened, but that thought brought on a memory all on its own.

* * *

_"It's pretty damn good," Natsu laughed, holding out his drink for her to try. "Have a taste."_

_Lucy glanced down at the chewed up straw, then back at her crush's green eyes. She had half a mind to push his drink away. They both knew she didn't like that flavor. But he did invite her to have a taste... Maybe she could sample it another way?_

_She had always wanted to kiss him, ever since they met. She didn't know if he felt the same way about her, but she hoped he did. She knew it was a risk, putting herself out there, but she figured she wouldn't know unless she tried._

_She leaned in, not giving him much time to react. Her heart was racing as she planted her lips on his. She could taste his smoothie, but her mind barely registered that fact. She fought to not smile against his lips, not wanting to ruin the moment. He was warm despite the chilly drink he was slurping on._

_The kiss ended quickly, with her pulling away with a deep blush on her cheeks. She watched as Natsu's tongue came out, swiping at the moisture on his bottom lip as he held her gaze. It seemed like the perfect moment, until she saw some movement behind him._

_Her eyes flickered over, trepidation coursing through her system when she realized a maid had seen the whole thing. Without thinking, she immediately said, "I'm so sorry! I-I don't know what came over me..."_

_She hardly noticed that Natsu was trying to say something, her focus was on the maid who looked disappointed in her. "Can we pretend this never happened?"_

* * *

Natsu had agreed, but she still remembered the pained expression he gave her. She wished she could talk about it with him, but her father would've been furious if he found out. After Natsu left that day, she begged the maid to stay quiet about what she saw. She promised it wouldn't happen again, knowing all of her father's staff had been instructed to report if they saw Lucy doing anything bad.

Unfortunately, Jude Heartfilia considered her kissing Natsu as _bad_. To be fair, he didn't want his daughter kissing anyone, but he made it clear that he especially didn't want it to be Natsu. Lucy knew that her father would forbid her from seeing the pink haired teen again if he found out, so she was determined to do anything to keep him from knowing. She managed to get the maid to agree to not say anything, so long as she didn't do it again. So far, she kept her promise.

Lucy bit her lip, stalling as she figured out what else she could say to the man in front of her. "Can we start over?"

He blinked at her, surprised she'd ask that. He swore she'd ask him to forget what just happened, like she did before, but she didn't. He nodded, knowing they could definitely use a fresh start. "Yeah, I'd love that."

* * *

**Can anyone guess what Lucy's vice is? I think I made it obvious, but who knows. Anyway, hope you guys enjoyed the longer chapter.**

**Thank you for the hits and kudos!!**

**The next few chapters are going to get more angsty. Just a warning. Next up, Chapter four: Sweet Release.**

**Let me know what you think!**


	4. Sweet Release

**Trigger warnings! Self-harm, abuse, and implied rape. It doesn't get into extreme details, but it does mention them. Please be cautious while reading. I don't want to offend anyone.**

* * *

**Chapter Four: Sweet Release**

There was still some uncomfortable tension between Natsu and Lucy, but it was eased when the two took another shot of vodka. Natsu told her all about Gajeel and Levy's wedding, while Lucy told him about the boring business parties she had to attend the last few years. Neither mentioned her husband or Natsu's broken heart, fearing it would ruin the mood.

However, after another fire whiskey, Natsu's curiosity finally won. "So what did you write about?"

"Huh?" She asked, sipping on her mixed drink. She opted to get the same strawberry lemonade drink, since it tasted so good the first time.

"The letters," he explained, hoping he didn't have to go into more details. It was embarrassing enough just mentioning them again. "What did you write to me?"

What seemed like a dangerous topic turned out easy enough. Lucy said she talked about her new life in Crocus. She described her house, her neighbors, more about business parties and social events. "I didn't put anything about my husband," she said, wanting to make that clear.

Natsu nodded, glad that if he had received them, he wouldn't have had to hear her talk about the man he despised. "I also didn't mention..." She let out a shaky breath, "I didn't say anything about how I felt about you. I made sure to sound as platonic as possible."

"Why?" He asked, already knowing the answer. He just wanted to hear her say it.

"Well, I'm sure you know how I feel about you." She started, not realizing she used a present tense verb instead of past tense. Natsu noticed though, and his attention spiked. "I didn't want my husband to read them, find out, then ruin the agreement."

"What do you mean?" He asked, hanging on her every word.

She took a big drink from her glass, hoping the liquid courage would kick in. "The contract for our marriage states that the deal between our father's companies would break if I filed for divorce or cheated on him, so I had to make sure I was on my best behavior. I couldn't risk anything."

So many times she had thought about skipping town and driving to see Natsu. So many times she started typing or writing a letter telling him how much she missed him, and how much she wished he was there for her, but she always threw them away. She couldn't risk it, because then her mother's treatments would stop. She hated that people were so cruel to take advantage of her mother's deteriorating health, but there was nothing she could do about it now. The past can't be changed, only the present and future can.

Natsu stayed quiet, letting her words sink in. Before he could really analyse and break down every hidden meaning behind what she said, she spoke again, changing the subject, "so what do you do for a living?"

"I'm a welder," Natsu answered easily. His train of thought couldn't process too much at once since the alcohol was doing its job already. He decided to let whatever he was thinking about float to the back of his mind until later when he was sober again.

"How'd you get into that?" Lucy asked with complete interest. She always wondered what Natsu ended up doing with his life. She was tempted to call up her old friends, but she lost touch with them shortly after she got married. It seemed rude to pick up the phone, call Levy or Erza and ask them about Natsu. Fear and embarrassment also kept her from dialing their numbers.

"Well, I needed money and it looked like something I could handle. The pay is really good too," he added, downing his drink.

He didn't want to admit that he loved watching the metal melt away. He was always somewhat of a pyro. When he first considered welding, he thought he'd be using fire. Turns out he does arc welding, which is used with an electric current. Even after finding out he wouldn't be working with fire, he still pursued it. "Magnolia's welding school is right by where my gym is. Since I saw it all the time anyway, I figured I'd see if it was interesting."

"Was it?"

"Yeah. I've been doing it for two and a half years now. Working with powerful, dangerous equipment and making new things from scratch, it feels good," he really enjoyed his job, even though it was considered work.

It kept him grounded when everything else didn't. He knew he had to be sober and in his right mind when he went to work, so it helped straighten him up. If not for that, well, he didn't know how far gone he'd be by now.

"I'm glad you like your job," she said, her smile faltering as her eyes hazed over.

* * *

_"You have one fucking job! You can't even get that right! What the hell are you good for Lucy!?" Her husband yelled before throwing a vase at her._

_She barely dodged it, her vision blurred with tears. "I'm sorry! I'm trying m-my best!" She sniffled, not caring that snot was dripping from her nose, or that her arm throbbed painfully from where he grabbed her at the beginning of their fight._

_"I'm doing everything the doc-" she choked on her saliva before forcing out, "doctor told me to do!"_

_"That's clearly not good enough!" He yelled, his face turning red with anger. She hated when he got like this, because it made her body tremble. She never knew what to expect, and all she wanted to do was run._

_"I said I'm trying!" She wished he would actually listen to her instead of assuming she wasn't working hard. She knew she only had one job, and she honestly tried, but her body wasn't working with her._

_"Are you still cutting yourself?" He asked, eyes landing on her stomach. Her torso was usually covered, even when they had sex. He had seen the red slashes on her once, after that he chose not to look at her scarred belly anymore._

_Lucy looked to the side, not daring to meet his eyes. There was no point in lying. All he had to do was lift her shirt and he'd see the fresh marks along the top of her stomach. It was the only place she could freely cut herself without worrying that someone might see them._

_"Unbelievable. Un-fucking-believable," he shook his head. "You better hope the doctor doesn't see them, because you're going in right now."_

_Her head shot back to him, her mouth gaping. "Again?" She had just gone last week, and the week after that. How could he expect her to improve if he never gave her time to try?_

_"Yes again!" He stormed over to her, grabbing her injured arm again to drag her from their room. "Your father said you'd give me a son, and I intend to collect."_

* * *

"You okay?" Natsu's voice broke through her flashback. She looked up at him, seeing the softness in his green eyes.

Her hands went to her lap, rubbing over her thighs where her newest cuts were. She used to only cut her stomach, but now they adorned most of her body. She knew it was the only way to keep her sane, because it was the only thing she had control over. She lost control of her money, her family, her friends, her life, even her body. This was her last stand.

"I'm fine," she lied. She hated herself, her body, her life. It's why she cut, it was her sweet release, her escape from reality.

Her only salvation.

"All right," Natsu said, though he looked unconvinced. "So, how's your family?" He finally asked the question that'd been nagging him all night.

He knew he could just look online what the Heartfilia family was up to, but he banished himself from that google search after the first two years. It was too painful. Especially the first time he saw Lucy in that white gown. She looked beautiful, but the sight broke his heart. Her body was wrapped up in the arms of another man, her husband, a man Natsu couldn't compete with since he lacked a title and money.

He never should have fallen in love with the girl.

"My dad is still as busy as ever. He had to be hospitalized last winter, since he worked himself too hard. He's doing better now," she sighed, "but the doctors say if he gets as bad as he was before, he might not be so lucky the next time."

"What happened to him?" The pink haired man asked, genuinely interested.

"Heart attack," she mumbled, her bangs covering her eyes when she lowered her face. "All that stress is bad on his body."

"Sorry to hear that," Natsu said honestly. Despite not exactly liking Jude, he didn't wish him harm. The old guy could be annoying, but he was Lucy's dad, and he could only imagine how painful it would be to lose him.

"How's your mom?"

He didn't miss the way her body tensed, her fingers clutching her thighs as if they had done something wrong. He saw the subtle way she shook, barely moving, but enough to cause alarm. "Hey," he said in a soft voice, "if you don't want to tell me-"

The blonde shook her head, a sniffle coming from her as she raised her head. Once she looked up at him, he saw the tears that had collected in her eyes. The sight broke his heart, so he quickly blurted out "were you able to published your stories?"

That seemed to be the worst thing he could say, because a tear leaked out. She turned her head to the bar, her vision blurring. "No," she finally answered. "I gave that up. He convinced me I had better things I should be doing with my time..."

"Like what?" Natsu asked. As far as he could remember, Lucy always wanted to be an author. She spent so much of her time writing her stories, so to give up her dream was unthinkable. He couldn't imagine something being more important to her.

"Like... m-m-making... a-a b-" She looked back down to her lap, her fingers clutching at her jeans. Her blonde locks covered her eyes. Natsu saw more tears roll down her pale cheeks. "A b-baby..."

He rubbed soothing circles on her knee, hoping to calm her down. She flinched at first, then warmed up to his touches. "What's wrong? You always said you wanted children."

Even if her children wouldn't be made with him, he still wanted her to have a happy life. She always talked about how she wanted a little girl, but she would wait until after she became an author before trying.

"Y-you don't understand," she finally looked at him, tears lining her eyes. "I c-can't have kids." A frown dominated her face. Her bottom lip was quivering as more tears sprang loose. Too many to be stopped by simply wishing them away.

Natsu's emerald eyes widened in panic. He hated seeing girls cry, and he'd never been good with handling it before. Lucy was beginning to turn away. A lump formed in his throat as he tried to find words to say. Instead, he did the only thing he could think of to make Lucy stop crying.

His arms stretched out and wrapped around her torso. He pulled her close, letting her head softly rest on his chest, where his heart was beating out of control. They were both leaning out of their chairs, with one arm around her back, and the other hand placed on her head. His fingers were laced in her soft, blonde hair. He thought for a moment that he had made a mistake, and that she would push him away in disgust. Instead, the opposite happened.

Her hands clenched his hoodie, and her tears left wet spots on his scarf. She cried silently, aware that if she made noise, then the other patrons would look their way. Natsu whispered in her ear, trying to soothe her. "Shhh, it's going to be alright. Don't worry, I'm here for you. You're strong Lucy, I know you'll pull through. Shhh, it's okay, just take deep breaths. In and out, in and out."

It took a few minutes, but finally the blonde was able to stop the tears. She didn't pull away from the pink haired man though, and he didn't mind. She felt at ease in his embrace. He was so warm, so caring, she never wanted to move.

However, she knew she was just making things worse for her. The longer she held onto him, the harder it would be to hide her feelings from him. So, she let go of his hoodie, and slowly pulled away.

Natsu let her go without a word. He smoothed out her hair that had been disheveled more from the hug. She dried her face with the napkin her drink came with, then gave him a weak smile. "Sorry," she whispered.

He shook his head, "no, don't apologize." He waited until she was a little more calm before asking, "what do you mean you can't have kids?"

She took a deep breath. Then another. It seemed like the longer she stalled, the harder it was to come clean. He placed a hand on her knee, giving her a soft nod. She put her hand on top of his, squeezing it a little to gain support. "I'm infertile."

Natsu cocked his head a bit, waiting for her to explain more. She sighed, her throat felt like it was closing up. She had to battle with herself to not cry, but already the urge was overwhelming her.

"I went to four specialists," she remembered every doctor's visit perfectly. All the bad news she received always seemed to pile up, no good news present to combat the pain. "There's nothing that can be done."

Natsu's thumb rubbed against her jeans. "How does something like that happen?"

"They all say I was born this way. They think it might be due to what my mother had, but they're not certain. All they know is I'm incapable of having children."

"Can you do that artificial thing? Or where they, I don't know what it's called, they do something to you to make you pregnant." Natsu knew next to nothing about women's health. He took sex ed, but it didn't cover what happened when you couldn't have a kid, only how to prevent it and diseases.

"Artificial insemination?" Lucy asked, trying to figure out what he meant. "Or in vitro fertilization? Either way, no... The doctors tried both of those several times. It never worked. They even tested my husband... He's perfectly healthy. He's not the issue, I am. My eggs and uterus are no good... I can't hold up my end of the deal."

"What do you mean?" Natsu was beyond confused by what she said. "I thought you just had to marry him?"

"It was a lot more complicated than that. There's a ton of loopholes that all work in his favor. My father was in such a rush to sign the contracts that he didn't bother checking them thoroughly. The main part of my deal was to marry him, but I'm also supposed to produce a son before our fifth year of marriage, or else..."

"Or else what?" He was almost afraid to ask.

The blonde shuttered, remembering how heartbroken she was when she heard the threat for the first time. "Or else they stop paying for my mother's hospital treatments..." She shook her head, trying to stop a memory from coming. "It doesn't matter anyway... It's too late."

Natsu was about to say she hadn't even been married for five years yet, so it wasn't too late. Then he realized what she implied. He didn't want to, but the words came tumbling out. "Lucy, what happened to your mom?"

He was met with silence.

* * *

_"I love you Mama," the younger woman held her mother's brittle hand with her own. She couldn't feel any strength left in it, breaking her heart all over again._

_"I love you too Lucy," the woman laying in the hospital bed said, her voice coming out hoarse and low. "Thank you for your sacrifice, but it's time for you to be free."_

_The tears raced down her cheeks. "I don't want to be free if it means losing you."_

_"I'll still be here, in your heart," Layla reminded her. "If you ever need me, just remember I'm always with you."_

* * *

Lucy finally spoke, her voice weak with grief, "she... she passed away..." Her voice sounded distant, her strength weakening with every word. He knew her mother was everything to her. He knew she was hurting, and he hated to see her suffer.

"How long ago?"

There was a long pause before she said, "almost two weeks..."

He nodded slowly, grasping what she was saying, but not wanting to believe it. "What happened?"

Lucy gulped, her hands shook with anger and sadness. "Her body just quit. The treatments worked to extend her life, but in the end it didn't heal her. She passed away in her sleep."

Lucy was holding her mom's hand for her final hours before she passed. She had the chance to say goodbye to her mother, but still it didn't seem like enough. She would never get to see Layla's smiling face again.

Natsu started connecting the dots in his head. Her sudden appearance, the timing of her mother's death. "Why are you here Lucy?"

She met his gaze. For the first time that night, he saw the determination in the woman he fell in love with. She had her own fire in her eyes, one that showed she was serious. "I'm leaving my husband... There's no reason for me to stay anymore."

Her words sunk in slowly, his arms going numb from what she said. _Hope_. It was small, but it was there. He hoped she was telling the truth, because that would make Lucy free. He hated that it came because of her mother's death, but he was happy she could finally live a life she always wanted.

He could... he could be her friend again. He didn't entertain the idea of being more, knowing Lucy would need time to recover if she truly separated from her husband, but the hope still fueled him.

"I filed for divorce the day after the funeral... He-" Lucy stopped herself, her eyes hazing over as another memory came to mind. This one had been the worst of her life.

* * *

_"You can't do this to me! We had an agreement!" Her husband's hands gripped her wrists, she'd be surprised if he didn't leave bruises._

_She struggled against him, trying to break free. She wanted this to be a secret. She filed for divorce, and hoped he wouldn't find out until she already left town. Unfortunately for her, one of his employees had been following her that day, and reported back to him. "I'm done! I can't be near you anymore! Just let me go!"_

_"Never," he released her hands only to grab her shirt. He ripped it open, exposing her scarred skin to him. She ran, but he was faster, slamming the door so she couldn't escape._

_"Please don't do this..." She took cautious steps backwards. They were on the second story. If she could reach the window, she could try to escape. It would be dangerous, but she was willing to take that risk._

_"Do you think I want to!?" He lunged for her, catching her by surprise. He pushed her chest, forcing her onto the bed. She tried to stop him from ripping off her pants, but he managed to tear the material off her body._

_She was clad in only her bra and panties, her damaged flesh on display for him to see. "God damn! What the fuck did you do to yourself?!" His eyes traced every jagged line on her body. Some were deeper than others, some thicker. Her once flawless skin was now a mess, all because she couldn't cope with her new life._

_Lucy watched in horror as he took off his belt, then unzipped his pants. "You used to be so beautiful," he slowly unbuttoned his shirt, pinning her down with his malicious gaze. "Now you're disgusting, covered in scars."_

_His words cut deeper than any knife did. She knew she was hideous, the mirror proved that. She hated herself, but she couldn't stop. It was the only thing she had left now that her mother was gone. She knew what he was about to do to her, but this time she couldn't think that it was helping her mom. This was just torture... Punishment for trying to be free._

_"Nobody will ever love you, not with that horrid thing you call a body." Despite his words, she could see the hardness in his pants. She wanted to vomit, the acidic taste already rising in her throat._

_"I barely want you, but you're still mine," he discarded his shirt, then picked up the leather belt that had landed on the floor. "Maybe I should add some of my own marks?"_

_Lucy watched as he pulled his arm back, then flinched when he snapped the belt forward and struck her body._

* * *

"Luce!" Natsu shook her, trying to get her to come back to him. She had zoned out far worse than before. She was sweating, flinching to phantoms in her mind while she scratched at her wrists again, only this time much more harshly.

The blonde's eyes focused on him, especially on his hair. _'Pink.'_ Natsu was the only man she ever knew who had pink hair, a sure sign that he wasn't the man who beat her. "I'm okay," she lied, but this time he wasn't buying it.

"The truth," he demanded, eyes soft, but with a flicker of impatience. He thought he had issues, but he was starting to think he was the normal one between the two of them.

Lucy said in a monotone voice, "...we had an argument... I waited until I had a chance to... to run..."

* * *

_Lucy laid there on the bed. Her eyes were glossy, her vision elsewhere. She had stopped resisting a long time ago, deciding instead to try to zone out. It was difficult, and many times she came back to the present, but in the end she gave up. Her body wasn't hers anymore, and apparently neither was her mind._

_"Go take a shower. You reek," came her husband's voice._

_She only smelled bad because her body was now covered in sweat and shame. She made no attempts to get up, not caring what happened to her. She could try to call for help, but that was useless._

_How many times had she screamed for someone to stop him when he was in the middle of forcing himself on her only to be ignored? How many times had she locked eyes on a passing maid while he was desecrating her body and they just walked away? No one in that house would help her. Her husband's money made sure of that. They were all paid a nice reward for their silence, and that was apparently more important to them than her right to say no._

_She didn't register that he moved, until she felt the harsh slap on her thighs. The belt he used on her was once again leaving its mark on her body. She winced, curling up to try to hide herself from his punishments._

_"I said go take a shower! We have a dinner to go to tonight, and I can't have you smelling like a dog!"_

_Lucy tried to drown out his insults, but they all made it to her ears... made it to her soul..._

_"I guess it suits you though, seeing as your such a bitch!" He grabbed her by her hair, ignoring the protesting screams coming from his wife. He dragged her to the bathroom, throwing her in the tub. He turned on the hot water, letting the scalding liquid burn her skin._

_"Be done quick. I'll be downstairs when you're ready." He left her alone, slamming the door on his way out._

_Lucy quickly adjusted the temperature. It was still burning, but not enough to cause damage. However, the thing she picked up would. She sliced, letting the skin on her thighs open up to the stinging water. Her razor was dull, but she didn't care. She dragged it against her skin, feeling her own kind of pain, the pain she could control. It was enough to make her temporarily forget about her problems, but once she shut the water off and the blood dried, they were all back._

_Lucy dried off slowly. Her body ached, her mind numb. She didn't dare look in the mirror, already knowing how horrible she looked. She grabbed her brush, combing through some of the tangles in her hair. She was halfway done when she decided she had enough._

_She slipped out of the bathroom and into their bedroom. She didn't dare open the closet, knowing the only clothing in there were gowns, and that wasn't practical for what she had in mind._

_The blonde opened the bottom drawer of her dresser, taking out a red tank top, and a pair of jeans she hadn't worn since high school. They were the clothes she wore in high school. She kept them as a souvenir of her time before she was a prisoner to her husband, even though the shirt was faded and the jeans were ripped. She put a clean bra on, pairing it with the matching panties. It was her red and black pair, the one she hadn't worn yet._

_She got dressed, not bothering to put on make up, jewelry, or finish brushing her hair. She still had her wedding ring on, but she kept it, knowing she would need it._

_Lucy grabbed her purse off the dresser. She had a few miscellaneous things inside. The most important thing was her wallet. It contained her driver's license, and about twenty dollars. It wouldn't be nearly enough to get her where she needed to be, but she still had to try. Luck seemed to be against her, because her car keys were in the living room, where her husband was sure to be waiting for her._

_The blonde carefully opened the window, making sure to not make any noise in the process. The height was a little more than she originally anticipated, but she could handle it. She stepped onto the ledge, then sat down. Her legs dangled over the opening, she braced herself before she jumped._

* * *

"I jumped out my window," Lucy admitted, realizing how silly she sounded. Natsu cracked the slightest smile, and she already knew what he was thinking about. "Yes, I guess it did help that you taught me how to do it."

Natsu used to sneak to her house all the time when they were in high school. After a while, he convinced her to sneak out with him. She was apprehensive at first, but eventually she trusted him enough to let him teach her. She got a lot of scratches and bruises in the process, but it made her less afraid of falling.

"I didn't have my car, so I ran away from the estate. The fence surrounding the place was made out of stone, and way too high for me to climb, so I had to leave through the front entrance. I knew there was security, so," a blush started forming on her cheeks as she held back a laugh. "So I started a fire."

Natsu's eyes widened, an amused grin stretching over his face. " _You?_ You started a fire? After always telling me I shouldn't do it."

"Yes," she giggled, and it felt so freeing to finally laugh without someone yelling at her immediately afterward. "It was harder than I thought it'd be." She thought if she held a lighter to the tree it would just catch on fire. She found out it wasn't that simple.

She ended up going to the shed on the property used by the landscaping crew, and took their gasoline can. She knew she wasn't supposed to start a fire with gas, because it was dangerous, but she needed to escape, and she knew security wouldn't let her leave without her husband.

They never did.

She poured a small amount on the base of the tree, then put the gas can back in the shed. She grabbed a stick, wrapping a blank check around the end, keeping it secure with a hair tie. The check caught fire easily, then the threw the stick at the spot of gas. It lit up instantly, not taking long before the thing was engulfed in flames.

Lucy took off, keeping close to the perimeter. She hid behind a bush near the entrance, waiting. It took a few minutes before an alarm went off. The guards posted at the front of the gates turned their heads to see what all the commotion was about.

The blonde used that as her chance to escape. "I slipped past the guards, then ran."

Natsu was intrigued by her story, then something struck him as odd. "Wait... why did you need to run?"

She tensed, realizing how bizarre that sounded. Normal people didn't run from their spouses, but she was anything but normal.

"I-I umm," she stalled, biting her bottom lip as she began to panic. "I... had to..."

"Had to?" That answer only brought on more questions, but she wasn't in the mood to answer them.

"I ran to town," she cut off whatever he was about to say. "I knew I didn't have a lot of time," she wanted to add, _'before my husband realized I left,'_ but she knew that wasn't a good idea.

"I went to the nearest pawn shop," Lucy showed him her left hand, the one that was missing a certain piece of jewelry. "I sold my ring."

"Sold?" He asked, raising a pink brow. "You didn't try to pawn it so you could get it back?"

She shook her head. "It had no sentimental value to me. I don't want it, or the memories it comes with. Besides, it got me enough money to buy a prepaid phone, rent a car, and drive here. I drove all night and all day until I made it here. I tried calling Levy, but her number had changed. I went to her house, but she didn't live there anymore."

"She moved in with Gajeel," Natsu offered, hoping she wouldn't think the blue haired woman was ignoring her. "Plus they're out of town right now..."

"I tried calling Erza next, but she probably didn't recognize the number. I texted her, asking if she was free. After a few minutes she sent me a message back saying she was busy, and if I needed anything... I didn't want to mess up whatever she was doing, so I said it wasn't important. I didn't want to bother her with this either."

"Either?"

Lucy sighed, "I didn't want to bother _you_... The first place I went to when I got to Magnolia was your parent's house. Well, I drove _past_ your parent's house... I almost parked the car, but I couldn't face you. Not after everything..." She gave him no time to process what she said.

"I decided to drive around until I could make sense of things. I ended up here. I just thought I'd drink a little, drown away my pain, then go to a hotel and sleep it off. I even had the local cab number saved in my phone, that way I didn't drive drunk..."

"Did you get a hotel room?" Natsu asked, feeling more sober than he was.

She shook her head, a bleak frown on her face. "No, not yet. I was going to after this."

"You can stay with me," Natsu didn't hesitate to offer.

"I can't put you out like that..." He already did enough by listening to her. She couldn't remember the last time someone actually talked to her besides her mother. "I'll be fine in a hotel. I still have enough cash to get me by. I just have to contact my lawyer in the morning, probably file a restraining order against my husband."

"For what?" He asked, his eyebrows knitting together as he started to worry. He saw her flinch, her eyes lining with tears as she took shaky breaths.

"Did... Did he hurt you Lucy?"

She shook her head. "Technically no..."

"What do you mean by technically?" Natsu didn't mean for his volume to raise, but he couldn't help it. He was barely containing the anger building inside him. _'If he hurt her...'_

"I'm his wife... He has the right to... to..."

Memories of her being taken against her will surfaced. Her screaming for him to stop, begging him to leave her alone haunted her mind. She felt more tears spring loose.

"Did he force himself on you?" Natsu's hands went to his own lap, scared he'd hurt her as he coiled them into fists.

"We're married," she said as if it were the only answer that mattered. Still, she explained her messed up logic to him. "He can't force me, because that's what I'm supposed to do already."

Natsu shook his head fervently. "That's called marital rape, and it's against the law. You have a right to say no, even with your spouse."

The blonde tried to ignore what he was saying. "It doesn't matter. What's done is done. I already showered anyway. There's no proof..." _'Except for the belt marks on my body...'_ But she knew with her own cuts, it would be hard to blame her husband. He could say she did it to herself, and people would probably believe him. It was hopeless.

Natsu assured her, "you can still press charges against him."

"I'd rather just divorce him and be done with it all..."

"Lucy, you should-"

"Stop!" Brown eyes glared at Natsu. He could see her broken spirit, it was fighting tooth and nail to stay sane. "I don't want to hear it. Why do you care anyway?"

Judging by the silence that fell between them, Lucy assumed she shut Natsu up for good. The man had a pained expression, his hands clenching into fists before loosening again, only to repeat several more times. He opened his mouth a few times to speak, but she was met with silence.

It wasn't until the fifth or so time when he finally said, "because I..." He took a deep breath. Gulping past the lump in his throat, he muttered, "I still love you, Luce."

Lucy's heart warmed. She wanted to smile. She'd been dying to hear those words ever since he said them to her the last time they saw each other years ago, but it was different now. She knew she didn't deserve his love, and that made her smile die.

Her broken spirit finally gave up.

"I doubt that."

"What?" Natsu asked, surprised by her reply. He expected a million different other things, but that one was a shock.

"You don't really love _me_..." She shook her head, her words convincing only herself. "You wouldn't love me if you knew the truth..." The scars, the cuts, the pain, the tears...

The pink haired man tried to touch her hand, but she flinched away. "What are you saying?"

"No one will ever love me," her tone was flat, almost robotic, as if she was repeating someone else's words.

"Is that what he told you?" Anger laced his voice, but he didn't let that stop him. He was pissed. Nobody had the right to tell someone that, especially not to Lucy. She deserved to be loved, unconditionally.

"Does it really matter if I already knew it was true?" She asked as if it were normal. "I've already accepted it." It was the reason she still couldn't confess to Natsu, even after he told her he loved her. She didn't deserve him.

She reached for her drink, but a soft, gentle hand stopped her. "Put your drink down, we have something to do."

"We do?"

"Yes. Take your phone out," he instructed, then waited until she did. Then he said, "bring up your camera."

Once it was loaded, he carefully grabbed it from her hands. He flipped the phone so it was at a better angle.

"What are you doing?" She asked, looking at her phone in his hand.

Natsu smiled at her, his abnormally sharp teeth on display, "we're taking a payback picture!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks a ton for the kudos and hits. Thank you Emy for commenting!  
> Up next, Chapter Five: Payback Picture  
> PS: There is one more angsty chapter, then the smut!


	5. Payback Picture

**Chapter Five: Payback Picture**

Lucy didn't say anything else on the matter. She had no idea what a 'payback picture' was, but she trusted Natsu. He snapped a picture, then pulled the phone closer to them so they could see it. The only word to describe it would be: terrible.

Natsu had a stupid grin on his face, while Lucy looked like she'd just been crying. Granted, she had, but that wasn't the type of picture he wanted to take. He spent a minute fixing her hair so it would cover up the redness of her eyes. "You gotta look happy," he said cautiously. "Like we're having a good time."

The blonde thought for only a moment before coming up with an idea that was sure to make her look happy, because it would actually make her happy.

"Can I try something then?" She saw how hard he was trying to get a nice picture. It made her want to try just as hard.

"Yeah," he said, throwing the camera up again. "Say che-"

His words were cut off by Lucy's lips on his own. He was stunned for a second, staring at the blonde who had her eyes closed. Her left hand came up, her fingers carefully caressing the scar on his cheek, obviously not afraid of his disfigurement.

Since Natsu's mouth was already open, she didn't wait for any formalities before invading him. Natsu's eyes fluttered closed as he accepted the kiss.

Their tongues teased each other while Natsu's hand up her back. He wanted to touch her more, but they were in public.

Her right hand grabbed his shoulder, making sure he didn't move away from her. Like hell he'd even try! Lucy's hand slipped from his cheek to glide into his soft pink hair. She tugged on it, making him moan in her mouth. He was lucky there was music playing. No one around them would be able to hear how much he enjoyed the kiss. He could already feel the heat collecting in his cheeks.

He snapped the picture, then brought his hand down to rest the phone on the counter. He bit at her lower lip, pulling it between his sharp teeth. She whimpered when he released it, wishing he would have continued. He darted his tongue back into her mouth, but it was captured. Lucy sucked on the wet muscle, making him forget everything around him for a split second.

It wasn't until a customer passing by said, "get a room!" that they broke apart. Natsu was panting, having forgotten that he was supposed to breathe through his nose during a kiss. Lucy's face was turning red, she tried to contain her smile, but her mouth betrayed her. She was giddy, like a high school girl who just got her first kiss.

Natsu opened his mouth to speak, "I-"

"I love you," Lucy cut him off, no doubts in her mind on whether she should tell him or not. She wanted him to know how she felt. Natsu jolted back in shock, but she continued. "I never stopped loving you. Every day I thought about you, wondering how you were doing. I'm sorry I didn't try harder to contact you. I have no good excuses. I never meant to break your heart, and I'm sorry I did. I promise, if you let me, I'll make it up to you."

The pink haired man stared down at her with a mixture of shock and excitement _. 'She loves me back?'_ He could hardly believe it. All those nights crying, thinking Lucy was happy with some other man, started to feel less painful. She loved him, she always loved him.

He knew it wasn't a quick fix. He knew he would still carry the self-loathing attitude that seemed to mar his life, but now it seemed bearable. Lucy was getting divorced, she loved him, maybe... maybe he could finally be with her.

Maybe. It was a questionable word, filled with hope and doubt. Still, he held that word close to his heart, because that's all he could hold on to right now.

That's when he realized he was still holding Lucy. His hands slowly moved away from her body, realizing that the kiss was well over, and the picture was already taken.

_'The picture!'_

His attention went to her phone that was placed on the counter. He picked it up, clicking on the tiny icon on the bottom of the screen to view the photo. Once it popped up, his breath hitched.

It looked way more intimate than he originally intended. Their lips were locked, her hand was in his hair, and his hand was on her back. Her eyes were covered by her bangs, and her hair only looked slightly messy. It was a picture he burned into memory, already deciding it was his favorite one of them together.

Hell, it was his favorite one of all time.

He clicked the options button, putting it into a text message. "What are you doing?" Lucy asked as he typed out the words.

"This is what a payback picture is," he explained as he typed in his own phone number before pressing send. He handed the phone back to her. "Now you forward that to your husband."

Lucy looked down at the screen. The blush that finally faded from her face was now back with a vengeance. She even felt the tips of her ears burning at how intense they looked. She glanced down at the typed words, cringing at the sight.

**"We ain't goin' home alone tonight."**

"Umm... Natsu..."

"Yeah?" He asked as he received the message on his own phone. He clicked the forward button, then addressed it to one of his ex-girlfriends. This wasn't going to be sent to the one that just dumped him today. She had been sweet, and the break up wasn't harsh. He didn't want to mess with her, because it wouldn't be fair. She deserved better than him anyway.

The girl Natsu was going to send this to had been absolutely nasty to him. It was the girl he dated before his last girlfriend. She was a bit on the insane side, but he stayed with her longer than he should have because she had blonde hair _and_ brown eyes. The only reason she broke up with him was because she found the box of photos and notes about Lucy...

* * *

 

_"What the fuck is this? Who the hell is Lucy?" The woman screamed as she threw the box at him. Papers flew everywhere, and he desperately attempted to catch as many as he could before they hit the ground._

_"You're so fucking pathetic! I can't believe I wasted my time on you," his now ex-girlfriend stomped over some of the pictures, making sure to rub her heel into the photos to ruin them. "I feel sorry for whoever this Lucy chick is! She has her own personal stalker!"_

_The woman tried to kick him while he was down, but he caught her foot. "Shut the hell up!" He yelled, anger causing a vein in his forehead to protrude. He already knew he was pathetic, he didn't need her reminding him._

_"Whatever," she jerked her foot away from him, escaping easily since he let her go. She stumbled back, but caught herself before she fell. "Let me know if your cunt ever comes running back to you. It'll be a cold day in hell!"_

_She left, leaving Natsu alone with his pictures, notes, and a scared cat that ran under the couch after hearing all the screaming. "Fuck," he sighed, debating if he should clean up before or after he got drunk._

_He never even considered staying sober._

* * *

 

"I can't send this," Lucy finally said, cutting through his memory.

"Huh?" He glanced up at her, already pressing send on his own device. _'Well the bitch said to let her know...'_

"I can't send this," she repeated, staring at her phone. "Do I have to?"

His eyes softened, his throat tightening. "No, of course not. It's just meant as revenge, but if you don't want to..."

She shook her head, causing his heart to clench. He didn't want to make her upset, but it turned out that he didn't need to worry after all. "I don't mind sending this, but I have to edit it. Is that all right?"

"What do you mean?" He cocked his head, wondering if she meant edit the photo.

"Ain't? Goin'? Those aren't words," she said dryly. She clicked over them, changing the message to, **"We aren't going home alone tonight."**

She showed him the revised message, and he had to bite back his amused grin. She was always a stickler for grammar, he should have known. "Can I send it like this," she asked, looking up at him through her eyelashes.

"You can do whatever you want," Natsu said, distracted by her beauty.

"Okay," she smiled, typing in her husband's cell phone number and pressing send before she could talk herself out of it. She took a sip of her drink, letting out a long sigh. She tried to put her phone back in her pocket, but it immediately started vibrating.

Lucy glanced at the screen, seeing her husband's number light up the screen. "Oh shit, he's calling me." She didn't know why she thought he wouldn't do that. For some reason she thought he would accept her absence, but that was a foolish idea.

"You should let me answer it," Natsu said, a fire in his eyes.

"What will you say?" She didn't immediately shut the idea down, wanting to know how it might go.

"I'm going to tell him to stay away from you," he said honestly, but didn't mention the other things he wanted to say - _and yell_ \- to that bastard.

She looked a little reluctant, but decided to trust him. She handed him her phone, then watched as he made his way to the exit. She guessed whatever he had to say, wasn't going to be appropriate around other people.

Natsu walked outside, then went around the corner so he was standing in an alley. He pressed the green phone icon, answering the call. He didn't say anything, letting her husband have the first words.

_"You fucking bitch! What the hell are you doing with that guy? Come home now and I won't have to hurt you... Lucy! Fucking answer me!"_

Natsu had the phone pressed against his ear, his mouth parted as he heard the way her own husband spoke to her. Before he could say anything, her husband went on another rant.

_"I bet you already fucked him didn't you? I knew you were a dirty whore, spreading your legs for any guy who'd give you the time of day! Has he seen your scars? Did he say you were disgusting? We both know you are! Get back here now. I'm going to buy you a plane ticket back here. Go to the airport now and come home. You can't just leave me, we have a deal. There's a doctor here that says he can fix you, so get your ass home now!... Why the fuck won't you say anything?"_

Natsu had every intention on cussing her husband out, maybe call him an asshole and say he was stealing his wife, but none of that came out. The only expression on Natsu's face was that of anguish. He couldn't believe Lucy lived with this man for years. This was the guy who took the woman he loved away from him, and he was treating her like dirty.

Tears rolled down his cheeks, his anger getting replaced by pain. Lucy was suffering. All those nights he cried alone, she probably did too...

_"Well? Answer me you disrespectful bitch!"_

"Stop. Talking. About. Lucy. Like. That." Natsu's voice was cold, the rage filling his veins again.

_"Oh, it's Natsu. Tell Lucy to get on the plane. She needs to come home. Now."_

"I don't think so. She's not going anywhere near you again," the pink haired man tried to keep his tone civil, but it slipped into menacing a few times.

_"You have no right to-"_

"No! You have no right to even be speaking to her right now. You're good-for-nothing ass should be in prison right now! I should call the cops on you for forcing yourself on Lucy." He waited for a reply, but was met with silence. "You're not even bothering to deny it. That's just _fucking_ great."

_"She's my wife!"_

"But she's not your property! She has a right to say no!"

_"No she doesn't! The contract clearly says-"_

"Then fuck your contract and get paper cuts on your dick for all I care! It's over, leave her alone!" Natsu was glad no one was around right now. He was yelling on the phone, his sanity teetering the longer he spoke to the man who abused Lucy.

"And what the fuck did you mean you won't have to hurt her?" He waited, and waited, but her husband said nothing. "Did you _hit_ her?!"

_"N-no."_

"You're a fucking liar. You even sound guilty. I swear if I ever see you near Lucy I will _end_ you! Do you understand?"

_"You can't-"_

"I can! You know what I'm going to do now? I'm gonna go back in-" He stopped himself from revealing their location. "-there, and I'm going to continue to have a nice time with Lucy. And for your information, no. She didn't fuck me, you crude piece of shit. Now leave her alone or I'll call the cops for her."

Natsu hung up the phone, pissed off that he let his anger get the better of him. He stepped back, leaning against the alley wall. He didn't know what to think. There was so much anger in him that he didn't get a chance to ask what the hell that guy meant about her scars. He was just enraged that the guy said a doctor could 'fix' her, as if she was broken. It pissed him off, so he waited a few minutes outside to cool off before seeing Lucy again.

The phone in his hand started vibrating again. He glanced down, seeing the same number pop up on the screen. He ignored the call, but it was followed by another, then another. After the fourth or fifth time, it finally stopped.

He let out a sigh of relief. _'He gave up.'_

After a few minutes, Natsu's anger finally subsided. He was ready to go back in when the phone vibrated once more. Irritated now, he brought the phone up to his ear after accepting the call. "What do you want now?" He didn't attempt to hide the malice in his voice.

_"Natsu. This is Jude, may I speak to my daughter."_

The pink haired man furrowed his eyebrows. He took the phone away from his ear to look at the screen again. This time it was a different number he answered, not realizing that when he accepted the call.

"I'm sorry, but I don't think that's a good idea."

 _"And why not?"_ Lucy's father's tone was authoritative, but not as harsh as he remembered.

"Because she's having a really crummy night and I don't think talking to you will help." He didn't want to say what he was really thinking, which was, _'you're the reason she married that asshole in the first place, so she's probably upset at you too.'_

 _"Please Natsu,"_ Jude actually said 'please', which was beyond shocking to the pink haired man.

He paused, trying to decide how to word his request. "Just don't make her cry."

 _"I won't,"_ Jude said, and it sounded almost like a promise.

"Okay, hold on." Natsu started to leave the alley and go back to the bar, but Lucy already was standing at the sidewalk right as he turned the corner. She had tears in her eyes, her nose a bright red color. He had no idea how long she was standing there, but it broke his heart to see her so sad.

He handed the phone to Lucy, "it's your dad."

She took the device from him, then saw him trying to walk off. She grabbed the end of his hoodie, causing him to halt. Natsu looked back at her, a questioning expression on his face. "Stay?" It was the only word she said to him, but it was enough to keep him there.

He nodded, taking a few steps closer to her. They walked back into the mouth of the alley when Lucy pressed the phone to her ear. "It's Lucy."

Natsu could only hear her side of the conversation, making him study Lucy's facial expressions all the more to gauge her mood.

"I'm in Magnolia... No, I don't want to tell you where at..." She frowned, but her tears started to dry up. "I'm divorcing him... Yes I've thought this through... Yes, I know what it will do to your company..."

She gulped, her body starting to shake. Natsu couldn't stand seeing her so sad. Without thinking about it, he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a tight embrace. She didn't attempt to push him away.

He could feel every tremor in her body as she tried to hold herself together. He didn't mean to, but being this close allowed him to hear Jude speaking on the other end of the line. He tried to tune it out, but to do that he'd have to leave Lucy, and he didn't want to do that.

Her father sounded frustrated and exhausted when he said, _"you know how hard I've worked to keep this company afloat."_

"Yes, I know. But I can't stay married to him."

_"Can you give me a reason?"_

Lucy paused, debating if she should tell him the truth. "He..." She gulped, fresh tears staining her cheeks. "He hit me yesterday."

 _"He hit you!"_ Jude's tone switched to enraged, and Natsu couldn't blame him. He was incredibly mad himself. He suspected that asshole hurt her, but he never had proof.

"Y-yes, I know you want me to be with him, but I-I can't-"

_"No! I don't want anyone hurting you! Why didn't you tell me?"_

Lucy was shaking. "I didn't think you'd... care..."

_"Of course I care. Was this the first time he hurt you?"_

Lucy let out a sob, mumbling her answer. "...N-n... no..."

 _"God damn,"_ Jude muttered. _"Did you call the police?"_

She shook her head before realizing he couldn't see her. "I didn't."

_"You should. He can't get away with it."_

"Aren't you mad at me?" Lucy asked, changing the subject. "You're going to lose your company..."

 _"Sweetheart, you're more important than my company. I just thought you were upset that..."_ Jude paused, and Natsu faintly heard him choke back a sob. _"Upset that... that Layla died. I thought you were just doing this out of grief. If I would have known he was going to hurt you, I never would have allowed him to even look at you! He promised he would treat you right."_

Lucy started crying more, and Natsu held her tighter. Her knees buckled, making him the only thing keeping her up. "I'm sorry daddy."

_"Don't you dare apologize. I should be telling you sorry. Have you already filed for divorce?"_

"Y-yes," she coughed a little, clearing her throat. "I filed four or five days ago..." She was losing track of time. Driving for twenty-four hours straight had been hard on her.

_"I'll call my lawyer in the morning and have it expedited."_

"Th-thank you," she cried, but a weak smile was already showing on her face. Her dad was accepting her decision, even at the cost of his business. She wondered briefly what might have happened if she told her father sooner, but 'what-ifs' weren't helpful now. She was just glad she had the support of her dad.

_"Where are you staying tonight? I can wire you money if that's an issue."_

Lucy opened her mouth to say she was staying at a hotel, but she stopped herself. She felt the warm arms protectively wrapped around her. She felt the love radiating off the man holding her close. "I'm staying with Natsu."

The pink haired man was shocked to hear her say that. He thought for sure she'd want to be alone, but he realized if he was in her situation, that would be the last thing he'd want. He rested his forehead on her shoulder, letting her know he was happy with her decision. He didn't even have to touch her, he just wanted her to be near him. He would even sleep on the couch, letting her take his bed.

 _"That's..."_ Jude paused, _"that's a good idea. He'll keep you safe."_

Natsu was even more shocked over what Jude said. Two members of the Heartfilia family had stunned him in less than a minute. He didn't know what to think anymore. Warmth spread through his body, centered around his heart. This was what it felt like to be accepted, to be loved. He doubted Jude loved him, but admitting that he trusted his daughter with Natsu, well it was good enough for him!

"Thank you again Daddy." She was about to hang up when she thought of something. "You might want to start moving some money around, just in case."

 _"Way ahead of you,"_ Jude said, the slightest bit of amusement in his tone. _"Great minds think alike."_

Lucy let out a strained laugh, but it was received well by the two men around her. "Can I call you in the morning?"

_"I'd be upset it you didn't."_

"Thanks. Good night Dad. I, I love you." Another round of tears made their way to Lucy's eyes. She couldn't count how many times she cried in the last few hours.

 _"I love you too, Princess. Tell Natsu I said good night too. He'd better make you happy."_ It was almost like a blessing.

"I will," Natsu answered for her, giving a cheeky grin that no one saw. Lucy let out a real giggle, and his heart soared.

 _"Good night you two, bye."_ The call disconnected. Leaving Lucy and Natsu all alone.

The duo remained silent. Lucy turned the phone off to avoid any other calls, then slipped the device into her back pocket. Her hand accidentally grazed his thigh, but he said nothing, not bothered by the action.

Lucy's knees were feeling better now, so she was able to stand on her own, but Natsu kept holding on, wishing this moment didn't have to end. Unfortunately it did. The same guy from earlier walked by, scoffed, and said, "I told you to get a _room_ , not an alley!"

They broke apart, both embarrassed that they'd been caught all over again. They waited a few seconds before looking at each other. Once their eyes met, they burst into laughter.

Natsu held his stomach as he almost hunched over, "oh damn. That guy has no idea."

"No," Lucy shook her head, her giggles tumbling out like a sweet melody. She let out a happy sigh, the smile on her face as real as it could be. "Should we go back in?"

"Probably. Otherwise Lisanna might think I ran out on my tab," the pink haired man held out his hand, waiting for Lucy to take it.

She stared at his hand, her smile growing. She grabbed it, loving the warmth he provided with his callused skin. He had the hands of a man who made an honest day's living, a hard worker. She respected him, more than she ever thought possible.

"I have a question," Lucy said after they started walking. She knew she shouldn't ask because it wasn't her place, but her curiosity had been eating away at her ever since her jealousy started earlier in the night.

Natsu's eyes flitted down to her, waiting for whatever she had to say.

"You and Lisanna... Did you two ever...?" She didn't finish, too scared to fully admit her insecurities, yet just saying that much was enough to let him know what she was worried about.

He stopped, his eyes still locked on hers. He tried to hold back, he really did, but he couldn't help it. He burst into laughter as he actually doubled over, holding his stomach when his sides started to hurt.

Lucy huffed, her cheeks puffing out. She was clearly not amused with his reaction. She waited, and waited. She had no idea he could even laugh this long. The longer she had to wait, the more she realized her question was ridiculous. She felt silly for even entertaining the thought.

Finally, when the tears in his eyes were blurring his vision, he stood up. He had to wipe away the stray tears, a huge, shit-eating grin was plastered on his face. "I forgot how funny you are Luce," he swung an arm around her, pulling close against his body.

"You didn't answer my question," she pouted, but now she doubted she had anything to worry about.

"Nothing happened between us. Not even once," he kissed her forehead. It was meant as a friendly gesture, but her face burned red from the simple action. "You're way too cute," he opened the door to Fairy Tail for her, finally releasing her so she could enter the building first.

The bar was a little more crowded now that it was dark outside. Natsu figured they were all just getting off work and looking to unwind. He couldn't blame them, because that was his original goal too - _before Lucy showed up._

This night was anything but normal.

There seats were still open at the end of the bar. Natsu led her there, but she stopped him halfway to their destination. "I love this song," she stated when he gave her a questioning glance. He started to tune in the music playing, recognizing the song.

"Do you want to dance?" She asked, looking over to the dance floor.

He gave her an uneasy grin. "I uhh, don't really know how..."

"I have you covered if you don't know how to dance," she smiled, but once she saw his slight frown, she shook her head. "We don't have to. I can always call us a cab to drive us to your place."

Natsu was uncomfortable with the idea of dancing, but he didn't want to let her down. Also the mention of a vehicle was enough to change his mind on the spot. He wasn't nearly drunk enough to willingly climb in a car. He glanced over at the dance floor. There was a decent amount of people out there, so he doubted anyone would notice how clumsy he could be. He decided to wing it in the end.

"I got all night and have a bottomless tab," he said, grabbing her wrist and pulling her to the dance floor, "let's go!"

Natsu would be lying if he said he was the best dancer. Hell, he'd be lying if he said he could dance at all. The closest he could do was hold onto Lucy's hips and let her take the lead. It wasn't hard, since she grabbed his hands and placed them on her body as soon as she found a spot she liked on the dance floor.

He sucked in a sharp breath when he felt those delicious curves under his fingers. Even through her shirt he could feel the squeezable flesh. Keeping himself under control became more difficult with every passing second. She moved her body in a seductive and entrancing way, her red tank top slipping up her stomach with each sway of her hips. It was too dark to see the flesh underneath, but he could feel it with the pads of his fingers.

He was a little surprised, her skin wasn't as smooth as he thought it'd be. In fact it felt like how his left hip felt, right where he had his scar.

Lucy spun around, much faster than he anticipated. His hands came off her body for a moment, only to land on her waist again. Her tank top had fallen back into place, creating a barrier between his hot hands and her stomach.

He gulped when she leaned back during the chorus, his heart racing to keep up with the pace of his mind. Unfortunately for him, the alcohol was making coherent thoughts nearly impossible, and all he wanted to do was tighten his grip on her and pull her flush against him.

He didn't though, not wanting to overstep. She was still a married woman, and he wasn't a homewrecker. Though the title sounded appealing at the moment. Her father always said Lucy deserved a man with a title... He just never said what _kind_ of title.

He didn't even know if he could be considered a homewrecker if she was already filing for divorce. In the end it didn't really matter. All that he cared about was Lucy's happiness, and she seemed pretty happy now.

The blonde spun around again, then placed her hands on his shoulders, closing the gap between them. The fast paced song ended, and a slower one took its place. Her eyes slowly closed as she brought her head to his left shoulder. Her right hand snaked around his torso, resting on the middle of his back.

Natsu was sure she could feel his rapid heartbeat, but she didn't say anything as the music played. She hummed along with it, sending chill after chill down his spine. She was driving him insane with these intimate touches. Touches that he didn't deserve, but he still accepted.

His hands tightened on her hips, and he could feel her body shudder from the action. She came closer to him, her face turning until her soft hair brushed against his cheek. His body heated up, and he was glad the low lights hid most of his blush.

The song changed to a semi-faced pace song. It was a newer song, but he already knew the lyrics since it played so often everywhere he went. It wasn't a bad song, in fact he actually liked it.

Lucy seemed to not know it, guessing how she should move her body to match the rhythm. He helped guide her as well as he could. She spun once more, pushing back until her butt bumped his crotch.

Natsu closed his eyes, trying to force himself not to get aroused. It was extremely difficult with her wiggling in his hands. She occasionally came back, grinding against him in a slow and sensual way. He had no idea if she was doing it on purpose, but it was driving him crazy. He wondered if maybe the alcohol was finally getting to them. They had quite a bit to drink that night.

He knew he was getting hard. He hated himself for being turned on when Lucy was dealing with so much drama right now. She just wanted to dance, and his stupid brain was focused on her body against his.

The song was coming to an end. Natsu listened to the lyrics, and couldn't help but think they were relatable to his situation with Lucy right now. He let them get the better of him, his hands gripping her hips as she danced in front of him.

_I'll be your smooth ride, that late night, your Walter White high_

_I'll be your first time, that's so right_

_Get you falling in love at the end of the night_

_With that good-ish, that long trip, that sugar on your lips_

_That favorite habit, gotta have it, you can't quit_

_I got your fix_

He whispered in her ear the lyrics to the song since he knew them so well. "I'll be the high that never lets you down," as he sang, he pulled her flush against him. His chest pressed against her back as his hands started to roam. She didn't bat them away, instead her own hands grabbed his and pressed harder against her body.

"The one you crave when no one is around," Natsu's voice came out husky after Lucy jutted her hips back, rubbing her ass against the strained arousal in his jeans. She brought his right hand to the inside of her thigh, dangerously close to the apex of her legs.

He took shallow breaths as he sang another line, "I'll pick you up and never let you go."

Lust was controlling him now. His mouth nipped the crook of her neck, barely enough to tease her before whispering, "never let you go."

Lucy jerked away from his grip, easily escaping since she caught him off-guard. He tried to take a step back, knowing he must have crossed a line. _'Of course I crossed a fuckin' line! I just bit her! Stupid stupid stupid!'_

He opened his mouth to apologize, but no words came out since his lips were now covered with Lucy's. She wrapped her arms around his neck, bringing him closer to her body. Her tongue slipped in his gaping mouth, teasing his tongue until he started responding.

Natsu didn't question it. He grabbed her waist, kneading the flesh under her tank top while he fought to dominate the kiss. He didn't mind that her skin wasn't smooth, as long as it belonged to Lucy, the woman he loved. He put as much feeling as he could muster into that kiss, and still it wasn't enough to satisfy the dragon within him.

He could feel the blood in his veins pumping faster as she ran her hand down his firm chest. She could feel the defined muscles through his shirt. Her greedy hand groped his pectorals. Natsu hummed in approval, making their mouths vibrate.

She giggled when he tickled the roof of her mouth with the tip of his tongue. It also caused her to shutter at the same time. Who knew something so simple could be so amazing. He explored her mouth, tasting every bit of her that he could. She tasted like pink lemonade and vodka, and it was fucking delicious.

She let him dominate her with his roaming tongue. She was busy outlining his abdominal muscles, fingers getting dangerously close to his waistline. Daringly, she brushed her hand against his crotch. The pink haired man let a moan loose as she finally palmed his hard erection.

He opened an eye to make sure no one was watching. At some point in time they had moved over to the edge of the dance floor. It was a lot darker, with barely anyone around. He was facing away from everyone, so no one could see the naughty things the Heartfilia heiress was doing to him, so he decided to push their limits.

His warm hand overlapped her small one to apply more pressure to his covered length, making her work her hand up and down. It felt so deliciously right. "Lu...cy..." He pulled away to kiss her neck. He desperately wanted to sink his teeth in her soft, supple flesh.

She leaned her head to the right to give him more access to her sensitive skin. Her heartbeat was speeding out of control, and she loved every second of it. He was about to suck on her neck when he remembered exactly where they were.

The pink haired man pulled away from her so fast, risking a neck injury from whiplash in the process. He worked hard to catch his breath. He was panting heavily, not knowing just how important oxygen really was. It was like his brain turned to goo whenever he kissed her.

Lucy's was light-headed as she pulled her hands away from his body. She was breathing fast too. "That was... wow..." The blonde was still trying to figure out how that started.

"Yeah..." Natsu grinned widely. He hadn't felt so alive in years. He looked down into her brown eyes, getting lost in the rich color. "You have no idea what you do to me," he admitted freely. She had a right to know how fired up he got when he was with her.

"I could say the same about you." Lucy rested her head on his shoulder, not worrying about whether he would mind or not. Of course he wouldn't mind.

The kiss was unexpected for both of them. Natsu thought the kiss for the payback picture earlier was a one time thing, but now he was thinking it actually meant something to her too.

For Lucy, this kiss was a spur of the moment decision. The way Natsu touched her made her feel incredible. She'd never felt so alive, so loved, so wanted, and that was just from some dirty dancing. She wanted more from him, so when he bit her neck, she lost control. Her lips sought him out, knowing he was the only one who could fuel the fire burning inside her.

Natsu breathed slowly against her mouth, his eyes were shut as he tried to form a sentence. "It feels too good to let it end right here," he mumbled, his brain only half-functional since most of his blood was keeping his cock hard.

"So let's not let it end right here," she whispered back. He barely heard her over the music, but he caught every word.

"What about your husband?" The pink haired man asked, but at that point he really didn't give a fuck. His hands were already moving to her lower back to pull her closer.

"I already told you, I'm divorcing him." She started, then cut him off when he opened his mouth, "and not because of you. I already filed the paperwork days ago. I've been wanting to do it for years, I just couldn't because..."

Because her mother was still being taken care of with her husband's money. Now that her mother passed away, there was no reason to stay with the abusive man.

Natsu didn't let her answer, deciding instead to give her another kiss, savoring the taste of her lips and mouth. He sucked on her tongue, causing her to squirm in his arms. A small whimper sounded from her, making him shiver. He really enjoyed making her do that.

He pulled away very slowly, letting his teeth drag on her bottom lip. "Meet me outside while I pay?"

She nodded, a glossy tint coating her eyes. He never wanted this night to end, not with what he had in mind.

He gave her one more kiss before sending her out of the bar. He tried to walk calmly, but the excitement of spending more time with Lucy mixed with the alcohol coursing through his veins made that a challenge. Plus walking with a hard on didn't help.

When he finally made it to the counter, Lisanna was already ringing up his tab. She saw the whole situation that took place on the dance floor, but it wasn't her place to say anything about it. She knew how long Natsu had been hurting because Lucy left, and if this would make him happy, then she would remain silent.

The bartender told him the total, then accepted his cash. When she went to give him his change, he was already gone. The girl giggled before she noticed a wallet was left on the counter. She opened it, seeing Natsu's ID.

"Oh dear," the white haired woman looked around, seeing no sign of the pink haired man or Lucy. She put it in the register, knowing it would be safe there until he came back to retrieve it. Right now, he clearly didn't care about what happened to his wallet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the hits and kudos! Thank you to those who commented as well: LovinmyOTPs and Val. :)  
> Up next, Chapter Six: Scars  
> As promised, the next chapter is smut. This story is about half way done. (estimated ten chapters)


	6. Scars

**Chapter Six: Scars**

Natsu and Lucy raced down the streets of Magnolia. His apartment wasn't too far away from the bar. They could have taken Lucy's rental car, but neither were sober enough to drive. The alcohol wasn't affecting them nearly as much as it should, but they still wanted to be safe.

The elevator ride seemed longer than usual. The time was used wisely, being filled with Natsu dominating Lucy with fiery kisses. He pushed her against the wall and devoured her. She moaned into his mouth, liking the way he was taking charge, but was still gentle in his own way. He moved to suck on her neck, leaving a faint hickey since they were short on time.

Once the doors opened, Natsu couldn't get Lucy out of there fast enough. It was a short trip to his apartment. He fumbled with his keys until he finally found the one that would open his home. He wished he would have cleaned up more, but he had no idea he was going to run into Lucy today.

He opened the door, letting her in first. He turned on the lights, revealing the place he called home. It was small, a lot more humble than the mansion she lived in. She instantly fell in love with it, wishing she could have spent her last four years with him in a place like this than in a mansion with her abusive husband.

Natsu didn't give her much time to look at his apartment. He closed the door, then carefully pushed her against it. His hands flew to her hips, while her hands weaved in his soft pink locks. The kiss was just as intense as the others, only this time, they didn't have to hold back. No one would disturb them in his place.

His hands lowered to the back of her thighs. He lifted her body, her legs wrapping around his hips in the process. Natsu took shaky steps as he headed for his bedroom. He wanted Lucy, so badly. He had to force himself to be patient instead of ripping off their clothes in the living room. Lucy deserved a bed.

The kiss never ended, even when Natsu stubbed his toe on the couch. He kept on moving, not giving up the opportunity to show Lucy just how much he missed her.

He was glad his door was already opened. Once inside, he kicked it shut. He didn't want the chance of Happy jumping up on the bed while they did anything dirty. It would surely make things awkward.

He fell backwards onto the bed, with Lucy now straddling him. They separated the kiss long enough for the two to catch their breaths. The blonde's mouth went to his neck, her tongue teasing over his flesh before moving again.

Plump lips trailed across his jaw, skimming over his newest scar, and finally pressing against his own lips again. Natsu's mind blanked for a moment as he let himself be under her control. Her lips moved over his as her hands tugged at his hair. She parted her mouth slightly, nipping at his bottom lip. A low growl came from his throat in satisfaction.

Her eyes were closed, while his were trained on her. After she pulled his lip between her teeth, he opened his mouth, inviting her in.

She welcomed the invitation by making herself right at home. Her tongue swept against his as she enjoyed the control she held over the man. His eyes finally closed when he felt her shift on his lap, trying to get comfortable. She kept a small gap between their crotches, as if hesitant to press against him.

Natsu's hands grabbed her ass firmly, pulling her closer to him. He wanted, no, _needed_ her against him. The delicious friction she started by grinding against him was enough to make his cock come to life again.

Lucy's soft and slow kisses became more rough as the minutes passed. She had worked up a sweat from the passion boiling between them. She bit at his bottom lip again, this time more forcefully.

"Ghaah," Natsu grunted, surprised by the sharp pain on his lip. He didn't taste blood, so she didn't cut him, but it still hurt like a motherfucker. When she released his sore lip he got his revenge by nipping her right back.

She moaned as her hips dragged against his. She loved the way he sucked on her lip, making it tender. Her fingers gripped his hair to tug him away from her needy mouth.

"What is it?" He asked in a daze, taking in the air he'd been denying his lungs.

She didn't answer with words, instead her fingers slipped away from his locks to trail down his impressive torso. She grabbed the hem of his hoodie, lifting it up to let him know what she wanted.

Without resistance, he took off his scarf, hoodie, and shirt, letting them fall to the carpeted floor. She couldn't help but lick her lips at the amazing, mouthwatering sight in front of her. Tan skin covered firm pecs and abs. Her fingers ghosted over his hard muscles, and a surge of desire spiked within her.

She noticed the old scar on his neck, looking like a jagged line. His other scar was on his left abdomen, in the shape of an X. His jeans hung low on his hips, letting her see a pink happy trail leading to a few pink curls sticking out from his waistband. There was no way she was awake. This had to be a dream. He looked way too sexy to be legal. And for right now, he was all hers. Her eyes glanced back down to his abs. They were so enticing, she had to have a taste.

A groan left Natsu when Lucy shimmied off of the man's lap. He immediately missed the warmth of her body, and almost growled when she left him.

All pouting thoughts vanished when she leaned down towards his crotch. Natsu's breath died in his throat as he watched her slowly stick her tongue out. His heartbeat doubled as she made contact with his skin, right above the waistband of his jeans.

Her hot tongue licked up his torso, then dipped into the small spaces between each tight muscle. It felt like fire coursed through his blood as she reached his left pec. A small shiver ran through him when her wet muscle flicked over his nipple. He never thought a guy could get aroused by that, but it was certainly doing something good for him.

Her eyes were closed and her cheeks were bright red the entire time, as if scared to see his reaction. When she met his collarbone, her tongue retreated back in her mouth. Natsu almost whined before he saw her eyes shoot open as her teeth latched onto his tan skin viciously.

"Damn!" He threw his head back as Lucy bit hard into his flesh. Her tongue lapping over the skin, then her lips worked hard to suck on the spot. "More!"

Her teeth released his skin, just to attach to another part of his chest. She continued to bite him more and more as his hands guided her head to where he wanted her to attack him next. Her mouth was directed towards the crook of his neck, and she didn't disappoint him when her teeth bit that flesh as well.

A hickey was placed on his upper neck, clearly visible for anyone to see even with his scarf on, but at that point he really didn't give a single fuck. He'd have to explain it to his friends and co-workers later, since he never let women mark his body. For Lucy, he made an exception. Hell, she could do whatever she wanted to him. He didn't care, as long as she was with him.

His blood was pumping into overdrive as Lucy's teeth scraped at his skin. If she kept this up he was surely going to pop. With careful hands, he guided her face to his so he could make her use that sweet mouth in a different way.

She took the hint and immediately kissed him deeply. He'd never seen a woman this turned on, and it'd be a waste to let it end so soon. His fingers groped her body until he came to her chest. He could feel her hardened nipples through the red material, and wished for a closer touch.

His fingers worked to trail down her body until they brushed against the hem of her tank top. He began to pull it up when Lucy's hand grabbed his wrist, her lips ripping away from him in an instant.

"What are you doing?" Lucy's voice was laced with concern and nervousness.

"I... Uh..." Natsu flushed, "I was tryin' to get your shirt off?"

The blonde shook her head, her brown eyes dimming. "That's not a good idea."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to push you to far," the pink haired man felt like an asshole. "I just thought- Never mind. I'm sorry, Luce."

"No, it's not you. Really I don't mind, but..." The look in her eyes told him that she was telling the truth. "It's just that if I take this off, you'll think less of me..."

Natsu snorted. "There's no way I'll ever think less of ya." He planted a soft, reassuring kiss on her lips. "I love you." His goofy grin was enough to melt her heart and drop the guard she had raised.

The blonde turned her face to the side. "I'm embarrassed. Her cheeks were a nice, rosy color that made Natsu's heart skip a beat.

"There's nothing to be embarrassed about." His fingers guided her chin so she was facing him again. "How about this then?"

Natsu grabbed her hands and gently stood her up. She was a little wobbly, but complied. She watched as he pulled back his comforter and gestured for her to lay back down. She did so without complaint. "We'll both hide from the light."

He straddled her thighs, reaching for the edge of the comforter to shield their sinful act from the world. The temperature started rising within the first minute of being blanketed.

The pink haired man lowered down, hands roaming her body to get a sense of where she was. As if drawn like magnets, their lips met in the heated moment. It was warm under the blankets. Their hot, heavy breathing and body heat were not helping the situation at all. Not that either of them cared anyway.

"Can...I...take...your..." Natsu spoke between kisses, not wanting to leave her delicious lips but also needing to ask permission. "...shirt...off, now?"

"Mhmm." Lucy moaned into his mouth, making his mind go blank for a second.

His fingers went back to work on her top, pulling the damn thing as fast as he could up and off her body. He was tempted to just rip the fucker apart, but he had no idea how much it cost and didn't want to mess it up.

With the shirt pushed up over her breasts, Lucy helped him with taking it off her body. Next to go was her bra, which the blonde took care of without his help, then ditched it. Natsu was relieved that she was helping. One reason being because it was hard as fuck to maneuver under the blanket, and two because it meant she didn't mind getting undressed for him.

Lucy's jeans were the hardest by far to remove. Natsu had to move off of her, lift the blankets up like a tent so she could move around, and wait until she wiggled out of the them. He assumed she also removed her underwear and socks, but he couldn't be sure.

"Okay... It's off." Lucy's voice sounded small, shy, and innocent.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Natsu asked, concerned for her mental state. He didn't want to force anything on her, especially with the past she had.

"What are you going to do?" She asked in the dark.

"Whatever you want to. If I do _anything_ you don't like, just tell me. I'll stop." He wished he could see her face. Then he'd be able to tell how she was feeling from her reactions. "We um... We can't have sex though..."

"Oh." Lucy sounded surprised, with a hint of disappointment. "You don't want to?"

Now it was Natsu's turn to be stunned. He sputtered like an idiot, "y-you'd want to?"

It sounded like she was smiling, her voice light and carefree. "Well, yeah. I love and trust you. I know you won't hurt me."

The pink haired man wished he could see her face, especially for what she just said. _'She actually wants to have sex with me?'_ He sighed, "I really feel like we should be having this conversation in the light."

Lucy frowned as her eyes looked up at the dark figure above her. "I'm sorry."

"No, you're fine." He shook his head, unsure if she could even tell. "Anyway, we can't have sex because I'm outta condoms." He didn't want to say he used up his last one the other day with his - _now_ \- ex-girlfriend, so he kept quiet about that little fact.

"Oh, okay." Lucy wanted to remind him that she couldn't get pregnant, but then wondered if he was worried she might have something. She knew she didn't have an STD because her husband made her get checked for that regularly, but she didn't have any proof on her to show Natsu.

_'Does he think_ he _might have something?'_ She doubted it, otherwise he would tell her. She knew he wouldn't put her in an unsafe situation, so there was no reason to worry. _'It could always be that he just doesn't actually want to have sex with me_...' That thought caused her a little pain in her heart, but she brushed it off, not wanting to ruin the moment.

"Well then it's settled. No sex for us." He laughed dryly, realizing he probably ruined any chance he had at ever getting intimate with Lucy again. _'Who the fuck laughs after saying something like that!? I'm a fucking idiot!'_

"You should stop talking," the blonde sighed. "Just... Kiss me?"

"I can do that," Natsu said as he leaned down.

Their mouths met again a few seconds later. Natsu had climbed back on top of Lucy, and she felt amazing! His bare chest was pressed against her naked breasts. They were so soft, except for her erect nipples.

He used his left hand to steady himself while his right hand went exploring. He massaged her shoulder, her arm, then squeezed her breast gently. Lucy mewled into his mouth, urging him to continue.

He pulled the little bud in his fingers, rolling it and rubbing it. Everything he did seemed to make her writhe under him, exciting his body more.

His hand ventured lower, brushing over her soft - _but not so smooth_ \- skin, until it came into contact with a silky material. _'She kept her panties on?'_

His jeans felt tighter with every passing minute. His cock was already painfully hard, but he ignored it. He wanted to pleasure Lucy. He wanted to make her tip over the edge, and hear her come undone by his actions.

He cupped her womanhood, feeling the warmth emanating from her. The material felt nice under his fingers, and there was already a growing wet spot over her core.

His hand slipped into her silky panties. She was already so wet, her folds were slippery from her arousal. Natsu relished the feeling of her wetness on his digits as he worked a finger into her pussy.

Lucy gasped as his middle finger pumped in and out of her, making her more wet. After coating his index finger in her juices as well, he added it in, fucking her with two fingers.

The blonde let out a low moan as she allowed him to pleasure her. Her pelvis bucked into his hand, deepening the fingers inside her. "Y-yes! _Natsu!_ " Her voice was airy and filled with lust. It only caused Natsu to thrust in harder, faster. She dug her heels into the mattress as her hips raised off the bed.

Propping himself up on his knees, his other hand worked hard to undress her of her panties. The material had to come off, even if he had to rip it. Luckily, Lucy made it easy to remove the last article of clothing she wore, since her butt was no longer touching the sheets.

He sadly had to pull his fingers out of her body to completely discard her underwear. Once the silkiness slipped off her last foot, his fingers buried back into their new home. She was so slick, his digits slid into her moist opening with little resistance. " _Aahhh!_ "

Being in the dark made him brave, and he lifted her panties up to his face. He took a deep breath. His lungs filled with her potent scent, and his eyes rolled back as she overpowered him. He _had_ to get to the source.

Being the dirty bastard he was, he kissed Lucy's parted lips roughly, before shoving her wet panties into her mouth. She let out a yelp, but he was quick to soothe her. He whispered into her ear, his voice deep and husky. "Shhhh, I just want you to taste yourself." His hot breath fanned her flushed face, and she hummed in contentment, until he spoke again. "Plus, you're getting kinda loud."

He could hear her huff at his comment, but she did not remove the underwear, secretly getting turned on by his bizarre kinks. He was into some weird stuff, but so far she seemed to enjoy them all.

The pink haired man kissed her mouth, feeling the material on his tongue. He moved south, kissing her neck, licking her supple breasts, then flicking her belly button with his devious tongue.

Natsu was so close to her opening now. Under the blankets it was easy to get lost in the scent she was emitting. The air was hot and thick, and the smell of her arousal was intoxicating. He was already sweating, loving the atmosphere he was in.

He was so close to her... She was too tempting...

" _Ahh!_ " Lucy let out a muffled whimper as a foreign feeling coursed through her body. It was intense, and drove her wild. She looked down, but still could not see the man pleasuring her. She moved most of the panties to one of her cheeks as she spoke, her voice sounding muffled. "What, what are you doing?"

"Sorry..." Natsu breathed, his wet fingers stopping. "I just wanted to taste you. I won't do it again if you didn't like it."

Lucy shook her head, but he couldn't see the action. Her - _soon to be_ \- ex-husband had never taken the time to tend to her needs - _though she was thankful since she didn't want to spend more time than necessary with that man_. Natsu had done something so deliciously tantalizing to her body, and she craved more.

"No!" The blonde pleaded, "please, do it again. It just caught me by surprise." As if to prove her point, she pushed herself closer to him, having her pussy smack against his chin. "It felt really, _really_ good."

"Yeah?" He didn't even wait to hear an answer as his mind clouded with desire. He rested on his elbows, and dived right in. His tongue flicked out and licked her bundle of nerves slowly.

She moaned in pleasure as he coated her clit with his saliva, making it more saturated when it mixed with her juices. A sloshing sound mixed in with Lucy's moans as his fingers continued to explore her body. He hooked them inside her, rubbing against her walls and making her quiver.

She spread her legs more, giving him better access. That only helped to increase her amazing smell as some of her wetness dripped down her skin and onto the sheets.

He licked around her drenched folds and swirled his wet muscle inside of her hole along with his fingers. She let out a few whimpers as his tongue became familiar with the new territory. She tasted bittersweet. It was a weird taste, but arousing at the same time. He captured her clit in his mouth once more to send her over the edge. " _Mmmmm_... Nat- _Oohh_... - _suuu_ , _ahhh_..."

Her hips drove up at the sensation, so he placed his arm across her abdomen to keep her grounded. Wanting to get her as turned on as possible, he focused completely on the small bundle of nerves as his fingers slowly pistoned in and out of her gushing core. He sucked her clit, licked it, pulled it, hell he even flicked it with his tongue a few times. Everything he did seemed to do the trick as she was breathlessly sighing his name over and over again.

_Oh,_ he loved the way she sounded.

The heat which surrounded them was becoming unbearable. Lucy's body was dripping with sweat and she could barely think. She had to do something, but the only logical thing she could do would leave her exposed.

" _Ngh_..." Lucy swore he must be a wizard, using his tongue to conjure up the heated magic needed to satisfy her every want and need she didn't even know she had. _'Fuck it,'_ she thought as she grabbed the side of the blanket.

Using whatever strength she could summon, she flipped the covers off of them, finally seeing how erotic Natsu really looked. His eyes were closed from the sudden light, his nose was wet, as well as the corners of his mouth. She could see his pleasurable tongue working over her clit, and could see his arm moving back and forth as his fingers rammed into her body.

His back was rippling as his muscles contracted with each movement. His bottom half was still covered in his jeans, which was a shame since his nice ass was visible from the position he was in. She always wondered what it looked like. His pink hair was surprisingly the last thing she noticed, but it caught all of her attention fast.

Natsu let out an approving groan as his confidence boosted considerably. Lucy tugged on his pink locks, pulling him closer to her aching body. Whether she was pulling at his hair that hard on purpose or on accident, he didn't care. It felt fucking amazing, and he hummed onto her clit in appreciation. That seemed to cause her legs to shake and her inner walls to clench around his fingers as her body exploded in pure ecstasy.

"Naah... _Ngh_... _Naaah_... Tsuu... Yes! Y-yes! _Ahhh_..."

Clear liquid leaked out of her dripping pussy, onto his nose and into his mouth. She tasted delicious, and he knew he'd never get tired of the sweet, unique flavor that was Lucy. _His_ Lucy. She was all his, and he'd kill anyone who tried taking her away from him.

His fingers slowly left her glistening womanhood. Her pink flower looked so beautiful, so appetizing, so seductive. The two digits were covered in her wetness, and some thick white cum was coating his skin.

Without giving it another thought, the soaked fingers entered his mouth. A low growl tore through him as he lapped up her essence from his flesh. Lucy only watched in awe as the man she loved enjoyed her unique taste.

Devilish green eyes glared at the blonde. He noticed that the panties that were previously gagging her mouth were now resting by her head. His fingers dropped to his side as he hovered over her curvy body. She was completely naked, and he could see every beautiful inch of her.

The only problem?

All the marks decorating her pale flesh...

Only one mark was his, and it was a faint hickey on her neck. Everything else was a stain on her precious body. A multitude of scars adorned her flesh. If he had to give a rough estimate, he'd say there were about thirty total, spreading over her legs and stomach. Some were faded, but some were fresh. His heart clenched at the sight, wondering what happened to this woman to make herself hurt this bad.

The marks that really pissed him off were the long, thick stripes on her thighs and waist. He recognized them easily as belt marks, since they looked almost identical to the ones he used to get on his ass growing up when he misbehaved, except these were far darker and larger.

Natsu didn't want to admit it, but it looked like she cut herself. Even though he didn't approve of her mutilating her own body, he knew all the marks couldn't be her own doing. There was no way she whipped herself with a belt, no matter how much pain she might have been in. Plus the angles didn't look natural for someone trying to belt their own body.

He glanced up at her watery brown eyes. She was on the verge of tears, humiliated by her own body. He could see how her lips quivered and her eyes dimmed. He couldn't let that happen. He wouldn't.

"Lucy..."

"I told you... You already think less of me." Her voice was weak, her spirit broke all over again. Her arms covered her breasts that were - _thankfully_ \- not scarred as well.

He gently cupped her cheek, resting his weight on his left arm while his knees straddled her waist. "I already told you, that will never happen." He saw how she tried to believe him, but it seemed like a lost cause. Still, Natsu wasn't known to give up that easily.

He wanted to call up her husband and cuss him out all over again, but he knew that wouldn't do either of them any good. Lucy needed him, and he wouldn't leave her. He wouldn't let her go, not again.

"Scars mean we survived," Natsu said gently, gaining her attention. "I have some too, on the inside and the outside, just like you."

He feel her cheek lean into his touch, her brown eyes sparking with an emotion he couldn't quite place. "Nobody's perfect, and that's okay. I love you no matter what. I'm in love with _you_ , not your body."

His eyes trailed down her figure, his mouthwatering despite the scars and marks. "Though... You're still fucking hot!"

Lucy's face turned crimson when he said that, her heart fluttering in her chest.

"I'm gonna kiss you now," he leaned in and captured her trembling lips before she could utter a reply. His warm lips soothed her, and his tongue worked to pry her mouth open. Once she did, he invaded.

It didn't take a lot of coaxing before Lucy's tongue was playing with his, taking turns in dominating the other's mouth, with Natsu winning most of the time. It took a few minutes of kissing before Lucy's energy returned to her, and she felt relaxed with him again.

The pink haired man's eyes caught sight of her underwear next to her head, and more dirty thoughts emerged. His lips left hers, earning a protested whine from the woman. "My my my, never thought you'd wear anything this naughty."

He picked up the silky panties, inspecting them. They were a little wrinkled from being jammed in her mouth, damp from her arousal and saliva, and more noticeably, his two favorite colors: Red and Black.

"You should wear these around me again." Then he rolled his eyes up as he started to ponder. "Then again, maybe not." His emerald eyes landed on the blushing blonde as a smirk surfaced on his face. "I won't be able to keep my hands off ya then."

"Who said that's a bad thing?" She asked shyly, averting her brown eyes in embarrassment.

His cock twitched, she looked so innocent and delicious. His teeth appeared as his grin turned wide. "Good point Lucy."

The pink haired man leaned back in to capture her plump lips, dominating her mouth as he tasted every nook and cranny. She was the best thing he'd ever tasted, except maybe her sweet pussy. Those two flavors were the top two. Hot sauce was now moved to number three.

He almost asked if she'd be willing to allow him to drip hot sauce on her womanhood and let him lick it off her, but decided against it. That might...well _burn_. That'd be a horrible way to accidentally torture Lucy. He'd rather do that with his teasing tongue in her mouth.

The blonde's fingers tugged his hair, pulling him closer to her, until her eyes snapped open. Realization hit her like a ton of bricks. He'd done all that to satisfy her, but she hadn't done anything to him in return.

Lucy's hands left his hair to push at his chest. Natsu pulled away, confused and afraid that he upset her somehow. Instead of being in trouble, she was actually just trying to move them into a new position. He was directed to lay on his back, while Lucy's naked body straddled him.

He grew nervous at their position. Her large breasts hung near his face, and her ass was pressing against his erection. He wanted so badly to drag his tongue against her beautiful body, but she seemed to have other ideas as she leaned in.

"Can I take off your pants," she whispered into his ear in a sultry tone. Her voice sending chills through his fiery veins.

As if it were even possible, Natsu flushed more. "Are ya sure?"

"Yes. I want to do something to you. Please?" She asked, knowing that she wanted to touch him now more than ever. She often fantasized about having Natsu like this throughout the years, but that was never enough. She'd felt him through his pants, but right now that wasn't enough either.

He was hesitant, because even after everything they went through tonight, he felt like he still didn't deserve her. This was a tipping point for him, which he couldn't go back from. Steeling his nerves, he nodded. "...Yeah..."

Lucy's fingers fumbled with the buttons, shaky hands working hard to remain calm as she slowly loosened his jeans. The zipper was strained from the heaviness of his member pressing against his clothes.

Natsu pushed the jeans off his body, then flinched when she asked him to remove his boxers as well. "Are you sure you want me to?"

"I'm positive," she said, certain in her desires. It would be extremely difficult - _though not impossible_ \- to pleasure him with his boxers still on.

"Okay..." His rough thumbs hooked on his waistband. He took a deep breath as he tugged them off, his hard cock springing free for her eyes to see.

Lucy waited until he was completely naked before she took a seat by his hips. Her small right hand ghosted over his erection, eyes wide with fascination. It stood proudly, surrounded by pink pubic hairs. If she ever had doubts that pink was his natural hair color, they died today.

"Have you always been like this?"

Natsu felt uncomfortable as she stared at his appendage. His own insecurities flared, wondering what she meant by that question. "What do you mean?"

"Like this... _big?_ It doesn't look like it'd even fit inside a woman." She tilted her head to get a better look at where his cock attached to his body. Lucy noticed his balls were a deeper color, and covered in short pink hairs.

Natsu's ego boosted considerably from her words. "Trust me, it fits." Although he doubted it would be easy to squeeze into Lucy's pussy. Two fingers hardly stretched her out enough for his thick member. He wanted to joke and ask how big her husband was, but he didn't dare ask that question. It would definitely ruin the mood they had created.

Lucy shrugged, unsure if it was even possible. "If you say so. I won't believe it until it happens."

"Stop." Natsu shook his head, blinking through the lust that clouded his mind. "Are you really serious? Do you actually _want_ to have sex with me? Because if you're just fucking with me, I don't think I can handle it."

"I'm being serious, Natsu." She smiled softly at him, slightly hurt that he doubted her. "Even if it's not tonight, yes. I do want to eventually have sex with you."

He nodded, trusting that she was speaking the truth. "Well I'm glad to hear it."

"So." Lucy glanced back to his throbbing cock. "Can I play with it?"

Natsu gulped before nodding. He didn't know if she meant to, but she sounded so fucking cute and innocent when she asked that. It made his cock twitch, seeking any type of 'play' she deemed suitable.

The woman's hand finally landed on his hot member. The pink haired man held his breath as she slowly gripped him, testing out different amounts of pressure.

Lucy liked how it felt. Even though it was extremely hard, the skin encasing it was velvety smooth. A large vein ran under his member, pulsing at a synchronized pace with his heartbeat. The tip was leaking with pre-cum, probably from getting so worked up over what they just did.

With a nervous mind, she stroked his cock once. Natsu immediately released his breath in the form of a soft hiss of pleasure. Forcing himself not to buck into her hand was one of the hardest things he ever had to do.

Her hand was still dry, not yet reaching the head. Natsu felt bold when he asked her to do something particularly naughty. "You should get your hand wet first."

"How? Like with my spit?" She asked, not knowing that her simple words made his heart pound harder. That would be sexy as fuck, but he had something else in mind.

"I was thinking with your own wetness?" He saw the way her neck and chest flushed, clearly thrown off by his lewd suggestion. He was surprised when she didn't protest, her hand leaving his cock to disappear between her own legs.

Natsu heard the sound of her fingers touching her dripping sex. He lifted up on his elbows to get a better look.

The pink haired man's head was spinning from the vision. Lucy rubbing herself and slightly fingering her pussy was almost enough to get him off without any touching. He had to lower himself back down, in fear of blowing his load too early.

A groan left Natsu's parted lips when her - _now deliciously wet_ \- fingers returned to his dick. She stroked him slowly, from the base to the head. She noticed that her middle finger and thumb couldn't touch when her hand was wrapping around his length, as there was about half an inch of space no matter how tight she grasped him.

"Fuck, that feels so go- _Ohh, yes_... Like that..." Natsu expelled a heady moan as she picked up her pace, pumping his cock with firm fingers. His hips bucked slightly in her hand, meeting her thrusts to amplify the ecstasy.

"You like that?" Lucy asked, a smile playing on her lips as she saw the man's head thrown back.

"Yes! Abso... _abso_...lutely..." He couldn't even speak right, it felt so amazing. And this was just her hand! The thought of his pre-cum mixing with her own wetness was so arousing. His cock was rock hard and nowhere near his release now. He refused to let this end so soon.

Lucy took pleasure in the ragged breaths he let escape. His eyes were half hooded, a wanton glint in his emerald orbs. He was locked on with Lucy's chocolate eyes, and she loved the desire she could see from his expression. "Sooo... gooood... _Baby_ , that feels so- _Oh Fuck!_ "

Her hand teased his head, focusing on it for a few rubs before running down the entire length again. Her other hand experimentally massaged his sac, surprised by how gentle they felt compared to his throbbing manhood.

Natsu's left hand fisted the sheets while his right hand groped her thigh, cautious to avoid the belt marks on her skin. The pleasure was so incredible, but also torturous. He wanted so desperately to have more, but he already knew he was getting way more than he deserved. So when Lucy asked her next question, he was surprised with his own answer.

"What do you want me to do to you, Natsu?" Her voice was surprisingly confident, feeling more relaxed by the second.

His breath faltered as he scrambled to form a coherent thought. None came, so he said the only thing that'd been running through his mind for the last several minutes.

"Suck me, please!"

Lucy's eyes grew wide as she took in what Natsu just said. At the same time the pink haired man began to panic, unsure if he really did voice his inner desires to the married woman. He opened his mouth to take it back, but was silenced when he saw her slowly lean down.

His Adam's apple bobbed as he watched as she parted her lips to release her tongue. The muscle moved against the head of his cock, licking up a pearl of liquid leaking from the tip. Her eye twitched at the taste, but it didn't discourage her.

He sucked in a sharp breath when she licked up his protruding vein, then swirled her tongue over the head again. "Does this feel good?"

He nodded so hard he thought his head might shake loose. "Maybe use your mouth more?" He was worried his suggestion would get rejected. _Hell_ , he was surprised he even got this far. The blonde continued to surprise him when she opened up to invite his member into her hot, wet mouth.

Lucy worked over his stiff cock slowly, unsure of herself, since she wasn't used to giving blowjobs. It took every ounce of willpower he had to not buck into her sweet mouth. He had to grip his sheets harder to keep his composure. His other hand moved between her thighs to tease her womanhood, causing her to take him in deeper.

She relaxed her jaw to allow Natsu to push further. There was still several inches left out when he finally hit the back of her throat. She tried to push him in more, but she immediately started gagging. Tears lined the corners of her eyes as she came up for air.

Her deep breathing made Natsu's heart pound, blood roaring in his sensitive ears. "Breathe through your nose, Lucy."

The blonde took his cock in her mouth again, this time taking his advice to use her nose to breathe. It helped considerably, but she still wasn't able to take his entire length in her mouth. Even while gagging, it still felt pretty good. Especially the low growl that rumbled in Natsu's throat.

Her mouth felt so full, and she could feel his cock throbbing against her tongue and throat. Her eyes were focused on his pink curls that surrounded the fleshy member. It tasted different than the rest of his body. Definitely different than his lips, neck, and chest.

Natsu's fingers sunk into her pussy, thrusting in and out, driving her crazy. "Mmmmm," she hummed at the intense pleasure that burst through her body. Her thighs quivered, clenching around his talented hand.

Lucy plunged him deeper into her mouth, hitting the back of her throat again. The more she gagged, the more saliva she produced. It coated his cock, making him slippery and easier to take in. "God, you feel...incredible, Luce." Every time he said her name, she performed better and with more excitement than before. It reminded her who she was with, that this was the man she loved, and who loved her too.

Her head bobbed up and down as she started to get the hang of it. She could hear Natsu's moans, spurring her on to continue the good work. That, and the way he was now rubbing his palm against her clit made her mouth clamp down more.

"Fuck! Your mouth feels _soooo_ amazing, _Lucy_." He couldn't resist the tiny thrust his body made. Lucy didn't seem to mind, so he did another. And another. Soon he was meeting her pace as he fucked her hot mouth gently.

Natsu was still a few inches from being completely inside her, and the thought of her taking him all in was thrilling. "That feels... so fucking good..."

Lucy looked so erotic with his thick cock in her mouth. Saliva dripped down himself and her chin. Her nose kept pressing into his pink curls when she took him deep in her throat, and he vaguely thought maybe he should trim himself. The thoughts died when she swallowed, creating a pleasurable tremor that shook through his sweaty body.

Natsu's left hand moved from the sheets to tangle into her golden hair, carefully pushing her a little further. She hummed in contentment, sending amazing vibrations through his cock. Her mouth felt like ecstasy, and he never wanted the feeling to end. "Fuck! I love you...so much... Lu...cy!"

She ignited his fire in the most dangerous of ways. What was it about this girl that drove him so crazy, that made him turn to pure instincts instead of thinking rationally?

She was captivating, seductive, and they were so bad for each other.

He fucking loved it.

He loved her.

So much!

Natsu was close, and it didn't help that she was only two inches away from taking all of his length into her mouth. He could feel the tip of his dick fucking her throat. He indulged in the feeling of her tongue licking the bottom of his cock while he pushed further into her sweet, hot, wet hole that was her throat.

"Damn! Lucy... I'm, _oh fuck_! I'm gonna, gonna... cum!" His hand pulled at her hair, trying to leave her rapturous mouth. She kept herself in place by gripping on his muscular thighs. Ignoring the pain from her hair being tugged, she continued to pump his cock with her swollen lips and sore throat.

Natsu felt the spasms of pleasure rack his body as his dick spurted hot, white cum into Lucy's sweet mouth, painting her throat with his sticky substance. Her eyes widened from the taste. It was bitter, but she didn't hate it. In fact she found herself stroking his cock with her hand to see if he had anymore to offer, which he did.

His body twitched, loving the way she devoured him.

When she was positive she'd drained him, she pulled up. His cock was softening as it left her dripping mouth. He could see some of the white liquid on her tongue before she sealed her lips and gulped, getting rid of the last of his essence.

He never thought he'd seen or would ever see anything as sexy as that for the remainder of his life. "That was so amazing," he said as he pulled his fingers from her core. Natsu traced circles on her cheeks with his thumb, eyes glazed over and vision a little blurry.

He was unbelievably in love with this woman, and there was no way he could really express that to her. There wasn't enough time in his life to show her how much she meant to him.

The blonde grabbed the blanket to cover her naked body as she rested her head by his. Their noses touched as smiles broke out on their faces. Lucy had never seen Natsu so happy, and Natsu could say the same about her.

They were in peace, a beautiful bliss that seemed to wash over them. Sweat still covered their spent bodies, but it was like a trophy of what they'd done.

Natsu grabbed some of the blankets to cover his bottom half, then took Lucy into his arms. She molded perfectly against him, his lips ghosting over hers in a soft kiss.

"I love you, Natsu." He heard her whisper as her brown eyes slowly closed.

He breathed in deeply, smelling her natural scent mixed in with the surrounding smells they caused. He loved it, he loved her, so much it almost hurt.

"I love you too, Lucy." That was the last thing he remembered, before he passed out.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finally finished this chapter! Yay!  
> Thank you for being patient! Thank you for the added hits and kudos, and Miraculous_kid for commenting so much! :D  
> Up next, Chapter Seven: Was it all just a dream?  
> Any guesses on what might happen next? :)


	7. Was it all just a dream?

**Chapter Seven: Was it all just a dream?**

Natsu's body began to stir in his sleep. His mind was barely functioning, the liquor still swimming through his blood stream. He twitched his arms, feeling himself wrapped around something soft and warm. He slowly regained consciousness.

He didn't remember bringing a girl home with him, but that's how he usually woke up after a night at the bar. The alcohol worked well to erase his memories, leaving him dazed and confused.

His left palm rested on some skin. Judging by the tiny divot in the flesh, he guessed he was touching a woman's lower stomach, near her bellybutton. It wasn't the smoothest skin he'd ever felt, but that didn't bother him. His hand rubbed the flesh, coaxing a soft moan from the woman.

Natsu's body immediately started reacting, his blood racing south to fill his sleepy desires. He moved his hand down, feeling curls at the apex of her legs. Giving the area a soft brush, the woman moved a bit, her legs spreading to give him access.

He couldn't count how many times he'd been so drunk he'd woken up already touching someone. It seemed like his body had a mind of its own, seeking out the comfort of another person to soothe the dull ache in his head and heart. Sometimes he thought it was just a dream, but more often than not, it wasn't.

He opened his eyes, but was met with darkness. He guessed at some point last night he turned the lights off, but that was unlike him. Usually when he came home drunk, he woke up with all the lights on. Then again, usually he didn't make it to the bedroom. He wished he knew what happened last night, but his mind was hazy.

Natsu's hand went lower, grazing over the woman's core, feeling traces of moisture already building up. The woman hummed when his fingers traced over her lower lips, coating his fingers in her juices. She was already worked up, and the way her body started writhing let him know she wanted more.

His fingers found her bundle of nerves, rubbing it slowly to get her wetter. There was no need, because the woman was already there. A delicate hand grabbed his larger one, stunning him for a second. He thought maybe he pushed too far, but the smaller hand pressed his rougher hand against her body, silently demanding he get to work.

Natsu's expert fingers rubbed against her bundle of nerves, causing her to arch her back, dragging her ass against his cock. He didn't remember falling asleep naked, but at this point he didn't care. He wondered who the woman was, guessing that it was probably the girl he used as a booty call - _the woman who was just as fucked up as him_.

He tested it out, whispering a moan into the lady's ear, " _Lucy..._ "

The woman mewled, her core bucking against his hand. He must have guessed correctly, otherwise she surely would have flipped out. It had happened in the past, and it was never pretty. Usually it ended up with a kick to the groin and the disappearance of the woman.

He expected her to call him by a different name, since that's what she always did in return. It was their way of saying, _"I'm not really here with you. Just enjoy the physical parts, because it doesn't run any deeper than that."_

What she did say, surprised him.

" _Natssuu,_ " she moaned, her voice sounding like it was laced with velvet.

"Lucy?" The pink haired man asked, confused and startled.

Suddenly memories of last night flashed through his head. Meeting her at the bar after not seeing her for years, getting drunk with her, talking, dancing, that silly picture they took together, the kissing, _everything_ came back.

His cock got rock hard when he realized this was in fact the blonde he was so in love with. It was like he was getting a second chance at last night to finally be with her in a way he'd only previously dreamed about.

"God your moan is fucking sexy," he groaned in her ear as two fingers sank into her wet heat.

She only responded with a gasp, a hand coming around her back until it landed on his thick erection. She started pumping him, causing him to mutter a string of cuss words.

Both picked up the pace, the room quickly filling with wet, lewd sounds and prolonged moans. His other hand slipped under her torso, coming up to rub her nipple. " _Gnngh_ ," he could tell she was clenching her teeth, and it only made him work harder to make her lose control.

Natsu planted messy kisses along her shoulder, his fingers still teasing her body. She was panting, the area around them growing hotter by the minute. It was pitch black in his room, heightening their other senses since they couldn't see.

"Do you like it when I touch you here?" Natsu asked, his palm rubbing against her clit as he added a third finger. He could feel her stretching, her slick walls expanding to accommodate the newest intrusion.

"Yes!" She threw her head back, exposing her neck to him.

He kissed along her heated flesh, careful not to let her hair get in his mouth. They really shouldn't have been doing that with the lights off, but it was so entrancing to _feel_ her pleasure instead of just seeing it. He felt like they were in a whole new world with the way she moved her body against him.

His cock started to leak pre-cum, making her touches that much better. He groaned, lightly nipping against her skin in a show of appreciation. "I love you," he murmured as his lips trailed over her sensitive skin.

She mewled when he picked up the pace, her own body bucking to try to increase the blissful sensations coursing through her system. His fingers pinched her nipple, making her stutter out, " _Na_ -Nat- _ahhh!_ "

"You're such a naughty girl, Lucy!" His hot breath fanned against her flesh. He knew she was close by how sporadic her moans and wails became. Just a little more and she'd-

"Please!" The blonde pleaded, her hand stroking him quickly with an uneven rhythm.

He had no idea what she was begging for. He guessed maybe she wanted her release now, but he was going to drag it out a little longer. Instead of answering her, he just slowed down the pace to tease her more. She repeated herself, her hand tightening around the base of his cock. Her tone sounded desperate, enticing the pink haired man. The fire in his belly grew.

Natsu licked at her neck before whispering, "please _what?_ What do you want me to do to you?"

"Please just fuck me!"

The pink haired man's eyes widened, yet he still didn't see anything. He sobered up in an instant. He was shocked by her request, but he'd be lying if he said he would ever consider denying it.

Without hesitation, he lifted himself up, letting the blankets covering them fall to the foot of the bed. He moved between her legs with lust clouding his mind. He blinked hard, trying to form a sensible thought. Only one came up.

"What about a condom?" Natsu asked, but he was already lining himself up. His mind was hazy, wanting to finally claim the woman he loved so deeply. He wasn't thinking about the consequences as much as he should have.

"I already told you," she started, her voice laced with an unknown pain. "I can't get pregnant..."

 _'That's right... The reason her and her husband fight so much.'_ She was infertile, leaving her husband without an heir. Natsu could understand her pain, since she used to talk about how she wanted to be a mom in the future. He felt bad for her, knowing she couldn't have a child that was her own.

He was about to ask about STDs, but he knew he didn't have any. He got tested regularly, since his lifestyle wasn't the safest. Plus he always wore a condom with every woman, even when they insisted they were on birth control. He trusted Lucy to be safe, and even if she wasn't, well, the rational side of his brain was already checking out for the night.

"Okay," he finally said, pressing himself against her entrance. Lucy spread her legs more, giving him the necessary room for penetration. He was about to plunge in when he realized something. "Can I turn on a light?"

"... Why?" Lucy asked, but the way she said it didn't sound like she was opposed to the idea, just curious.

A devilish grin formed on his face, and he was glad the lights were off in that moment. He rested his hands on her thighs as he said, "I want to see you when I make you _mine_."

Natsu could feel her shiver at his words. "I'd like that too." He swore he heard the smile in the blonde's voice.

He couldn't jump off the bed fast enough, racing to the corner of his room to turn on a lamp. He didn't want to turn the ceiling lights on, since it would be too bright for them, so he settled with the dim light of the lamp.

The pink haired man walked back to the foot of the bed, taking a moment to admire just how sexy Lucy looked. Her curvy body laid on the bed, legs parted and hands resting by her gorgeous face. That glowing blonde hair was fanned out on the pillow, and she was gazing up at him with lust-filled, brown eyes.

With the light now on, he took his place in between her legs again. "Are you sure about this?" Natsu had to ask again, fearing she'd regret having sex with him, but he saw no hesitation in her face as she nodded. "Okay."

Natsu gripped his member, lining it up with her exposed womanhood. The beautiful pink flower was glistening with her arousal, and he thoroughly coated the tip of his cock with it. Lucy moaned as he swiped over her clit a few times, causing her to instinctively lift her hips to try to ease the teasing he caused.

He was almost scared to put anymore pressure against her core. Just feeling it against his tip was pleasurable. With a deep breath, and another reassuring nod from Lucy, he pressed inward.

Natsu was immediately met with resistance as her core stretched to accommodate his thick size. For a married woman, she was unbelievably tight. "Damn..." All his fingering to loosen her up felt like it did nothing. For every inch he buried into her, the more her heat encompassed him. He was halfway in when he heard her whimper. The man finally looked back at her face to gauge her reaction.

He noticed Lucy closing her eyes, a pained expression forming as he sunk in deeper into her hot body. She was abusing her bottom lip with her teeth, but she wasn't telling him to stop. In fact the only thing she was giving him were more gasps and whimpers.

He stopped there, holding his hand out and cupping her cheek. "Lucy..." Her eyes opened, settling on the man above her. She took deep breaths, realizing this wasn't the man who would hurt her. This was Natsu, and he wouldn't do anything to harm her. She kept her eyes open, reminding herself of who she was with. Sex had always been traumatic, but this time was different.

When Lucy gave him a soft smile, Natsu continued to ease in, making sure not to penetrate her too harshly. It felt like the sweetest agony he'd ever experienced. He couldn't figure out why she felt so small, since she'd been married for years.

Lucy was acting like a virgin - _or how he thought a virgin would act_. He knew this wasn't her first time, but he didn't let that bother him. It wasn't his first time either, having lost his virginity about three years ago with one of his past girlfriends he couldn't even put a name to.

The pink haired man just wanted to enjoy this moment with Lucy. No one else in the world mattered right now.

It wasn't until he was finally all the way in that he realized he'd been holding his breath. The man panted heavily as he watched Lucy's face change from anguish to neutral. Brown eyes gazed up at him, locked on to his green eyes as if her life depended on it.

"Are you okay?" He asked, already sounded winded.

Tears gathered in the corners of her eyes, and he affectionately wiped them away. His rough hand caressed her cheek, rubbing circles on her soft skin. He desperately searched her eyes, looking for any signs that he should stop.

"I'm good," she smiled a little wider, his heart leaping at the sight. "I'm just a little nervous. Plus, you're just..." A deep red filled in her already pink cheeks. "... a lot bigger than..."

She didn't finish, and he was thankful for that. The worst thing she could do right now was say her husband's name. He only wanted to hear her moan his name tonight. _Hell_ , if he had it his way, she'd be moaning his name _every night_.

Lucy surprised him when her legs wrapped around his hips. Her teeth released her bottom lip as she nudged his buttocks with the heels of her feet. Natsu's lips parted as he pulled out of her deliciously tight core. He stopped when all that was left was the head, then plunged back in. " _Fuck_ ," his voice came out as a strained whisper.

His head was spinning, and that was just from one thrust! He'd never had sex without a condom before, and the difference was amazing! He pulled out just to thrust in again. He was shocked to feel it was just as great as the first one. Lucy's hands wrapped around his biceps, fingers massaging his tan skin. " _Ohhh_ , Natsu..." She still hadn't told him to stop, and her expression was breathtaking.

The blonde was flushed, her tear-free eyes fixed on his with her tongue dragging languidly over her plump lips. Damn, they looked fucking tasty to him. He leaned in, changing the angle of penetration as he captured her lips.

His arms wrapped under her body, pulling her closer to him. Her skin felt amazing against his hard muscles. Natsu was getting lost in the overwhelming sensation of happiness flooding his body. He was doing it! He was finally making Lucy his woman! For the first time in his life, he was _making love_ to someone, and it felt fucking fantastic.

Nothing could ever compare to the closeness between them right now. Two hearts, two souls, two bodies, becoming one. Natsu had never felt so many emotions just from the carnal act, and felt like he could never go back to 'just sex' again. It was so much better when he was inside Lucy. Her body wrapped around him, driving him insane.

He welcomed every bit of it.

Natsu mumbled into her mouth, "Lucy!" Another thrust into her warmth made her whimper, her fingers digging into his skin a bit. He loved everything she was doing, especially the way she forced her tongue into his mouth like she owned the place. Natsu's own wet muscle played with hers, easily getting the upper hand when he rocked into her at a torturously slow pace.

His arms shook from the straining position, and he was sure she could feel it. Neither said anything about it as he picked up the tempo. Lucy's moans became sporadic as he repetitively hit a sweet spot inside of her. Small droplets of sweat started to gather at the nape of his neck as their heated passion sped up.

Lucy's right leg lifted to rest on his upper back, allowing him a deeper penetration. His lips finally separated from hers, a trail of saliva dripped from his mouth as he hungrily nipped at her neck. "You feel so fucking good Lucy," Natsu wanted to scream it to the world, but he didn't want to wake his neighbors.

"You... _mmmm_... do too!" The blonde arched her back slightly, enjoying the rhythm of his body entering hers. She could feel the strain in his arms, he was holding back. She didn't know if it was for him, or her, but she appreciated it. She was loving the pace he set, and wanted to get used to it before he tried anything more intense. " _Ohh yess_ ," a soft moan tumbled from her lips.

Lucy tilted her head, giving him better access to her skin. Every time he bit her, her nails dug deeper into his arms. That only spurred him on, pumping into her tightness while licking her flesh. "You taste... _fuck_...so great..."

His lips found her collarbone, and his teeth reacted immediately. White canines pierced her skin, Lucy's core automatically clamping down on his throbbing member in retaliation. "Naa...tsuuu..."

He sucked at her flesh, making sure to make it nice and red. The only good marks on Lucy's beautiful body would be his, and it would just be badges of his love for her. "Yes," she moaned breathlessly.

A few beads of blood trickled from the wound, but he just lapped it up, enjoying the taste. Lucy bucked against him, eliciting a groan from Natsu. His mouth released her tender flesh, seeking out her lips again. She responded quickly, wanting to express just how amazing her body felt at that moment because of his touches.

One of Natsu's hands weaved into her soft hair, tangling her strands with his fingers while he explored her sweet mouth. He couldn't even imagine kissing anyone else anymore. Lucy was addictive, and he was damn sure he wouldn't let anyone take her away from him. As he rammed into her now dripping pussy, he lost all thoughts except those involving Lucy.

If she wasn't holding him firmly with her nails digging into his skin, he was sure he'd float away. She was so amazing, so beautiful, so perfectly imperfect. She was everything to him. There was _nothing_ that could convince him that he shouldn't be with her. There was nothing he wouldn't do to be with her.

"I...want...to be...with you," Natsu said between kisses, moving to her neck again as he finished his heartfelt confession. "Forever."

"Then... _ahhhh_...don't let...me go..." Lucy's skin was glistening with sweat. Natsu's naturally high body temperature burned her in a tantalizing way. She relished in the feeling of his body joined with hers. She'd never felt something so incredible, so _right_.

"I won't!" Natsu promised as he leaned back, changing the angle of penetration again. He kneeled upright, gripping her full thighs as he slid deeper in and out of her wetness. "I swear I won't," his thumb found her bundle of nerves, rubbing the nub fervently as Lucy silently cried in pleasure.

"I...love, you!" The blonde threw her head back, body convulsing as a powerful orgasm took control of her being. Her inner walls clenched his member, forcing him to strain his jaw in order to hold himself together. He was so dangerously close, but he didn't, _couldn't_ let it end so soon. "Nghh... _aaahhh_ , yes!"

Lucy rode out the waves of pleasure like a champ, her messy hair sprawled out in a web of blonde locks. Her hands lost feeling and dropped down to his hips, barely holding on as he moved his body gracefully against her own. Well, as gracefully as a tipsy man could move...

The hand that had been rubbing her clit moved to knead her supple breasts. The pliant skin converted as he groped her with gentle hands. "Everything...feels good," Lucy said in a daze of lust and happiness. She was on cloud nine while he continued to thrust into her spent body.

Natsu loved being inside of her. He watched as his length disappeared into her sweet core, only to pull out with a fresh shine from her wetness. He'd never experienced anything this amazing. All the times he fucked random women or past girlfriends never even came close to this overwhelming ecstasy that was Lucy.

"Never..." He thrust into her harder, "gonna..." Again, he rammed in hard, earning a delightful, throaty moan from the blonde. "Let... _aahhh_ ," he pinched her nipple, causing her to wrap around his cock tighter. "You go... Lucy!" Her name rolled off his tongue so deliciously. His lust-filled brain actually wondered for a moment if he could eat the moans that tumbled from his own mouth.

The leg Lucy had resting on his upper back started to slip, so Natsu took advantage of it. While slowing down his thrusts, he picked up her leg and rested it on his shoulders. The new angle allowed him to push in deeper, and Lucy gasped as he hit that sweet spot again. Her teeth captured her bottom lips as she accepted the pounding. "Y-yes! _Naaatsuu!_ "

Natsu, being the greedy bastard that he was, lifted Lucy's other leg over his shoulder, leaning in until her knees touched her breasts. Lucy didn't even know she was that flexible, but she had no time to dwell on it as she felt Natsu's cock tearing through her in the best way imaginable. She quickly decided that she rather liked this angle.

She used the little space between their bodies to move her hand down to her core. Lucy had never pleasured herself before, but she knew what her body craved. Her fingers brushed against her blonde curls, until she reached the protruding nub. A gasp escaped her as she found the special button that made her see stars. Her fingers circled it, sending jolts of pleasure through her being.

She clenched around Natsu, and it was almost too much. His mouth moved to her exposed collarbone again, teeth grazing a spot of her flesh he hadn't already marked before they sunk in. Lucy whimpered from the pleasure and pain, but did nothing to stop either. It was erotic, and they both enjoyed the way Natsu sucked at her skin and licked at her wound.

Natsu started to wonder if he had a fetish for blood when he tasted the metallic liquid on his tongue. He never bit other women like this, so he couldn't be sure. All he knew was it turned him on. It made his already rock hard cock even more rigid, and almost painful. It excited him to taste her essences. Whether it was her blood or her arousal, she tastes absolutely delicious.

He ignored his thoughts, deciding he could sort out his odd kinks later when his mind was clear and not intoxicated. Lucy's voice rang in his ear as she rasped with her dry throat, probably caused by her heavy panting.

"Harder!"

He obliged, ramming into her with an intensity he never thought he'd achieve with a woman. He was so thankful it was with Lucy. In and out, in and out, that's all he could think about. All the thrusts he'd ever given other women faded from his memory. His eyes pricked with happy tears as he met his end, feeling himself jumping off the edge of no return. His lips ripped away from Lucy's flesh so he could chant, " _oh fuck, oh fuck_! Lucy you feel too good! I'm... _god damn_... I'm cumming!"

" _Ahhh_ , m-me too!" Lucy's core tightened incredibly as her body went through another mind blowing orgasm. She wanted to scream, but Natsu's lips covered her own. He swallowed her wails, giving off a few of his own moans during their release.

The pink haired man shook as the greatest orgasm he'd ever felt racked his body. His mind went blank as he spurted into her unprotected pussy. It was the most amazing experience of his entire life. Nothing thus far could compare to the feeling of filling up Lucy's body with his sperm. His fingers twitched with every mini release. The two kissed each other, tasting sweat and saliva as they came down from the incredible high.

When his mind started working again, Natsu ended the sweet kiss. He slowly pulled his softening member out of Lucy, letting her legs fall from his shoulders and around his waist in their weakened state. She instantly felt weird when she was no longer filled with his manhood. She did enjoy the warmth inside her that came from his essence.

The blonde just hoped this wasn't the only time she would feel him inside of her.

Natsu used the last of his energy to shift Lucy to her side so she was facing him, then snuggled up to her sweaty body. Emerald eyes met chocolate orbs before they both lowered their eyelids as they let their post-orgasms take over.

Heavy panting was all that could be heard in the room as the two worked to regulate their breathing. A yawn tore from Lucy's throat as she cuddled closer to Natsu's warm body. His right arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer to leave no space between them.

"I love you... Natsu," Lucy planted tiny kisses around his face, her eyes still closed to intensify her other senses.

A peaceful smile formed on the pink haired man's face, "I love you too, Lucy." Their lips found each other, and they started a slow and lazy kiss. His teeth languidly bit her bottom lip as she fought to remain awake.

"That was..." Lucy started, before swiping her tongue against his top lip.

"Amazing," he murmured as his voice started to fade. This moment couldn't get anymore perfect.

Their lips stopped moving as they slowly slipped into an unconscious state. Natsu was two seconds away from fully falling asleep before he realized he left the lamp on. He debated it for a few seconds before muttering, "fuck it."

He passed out with the love of his life wrapped tightly in his arms, a large grin on his face from finally claiming Lucy. Nothing could possibly beat this feeling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the kudos/hits, and thank you MaidenAlice for commenting!  
> Hope everyone enjoyed the extra lemon. Next chapter gets back to the serious stuff.  
> So I'm just gonna say this story will be longer than ten chapters. I don't know why I even bothered giving an estimate. Have I ever been right? Hmmmmm, No. I've been wrong every single time. So, I'll let you know when the story is coming to an end, but it's not anytime soon. Look forward to more drama, more angst, and more smut. :P  
> Up next, Chapter Eight: Hangover.  
> Dunno if any of you have had a hangover, but they fucking suck. I don't drink very often, but when I do, I try to stay up late enough to sober up before falling asleep just to avoid one.


	8. Hangover

**Warning! Read through the entire chapter. Several times you may want to leave, but keep reading. I promise, you won't regret it.**

* * *

**Chapter Eight: Hangover**

An alarm sounded by Natsu's head. He quickly sat up, eyes wide as he searched for the disturbing sound. He found the source. His clock was resting on his nightstand, blaring its annoying tone to get him awake.

He slapped the top, then slid over a button to turn the damn thing off. His large hand rubbed his face, coaxing him to fully wake up. _'What day is it?... I'm pretty sure it's Friday...'_

Natsu smiled, today was his day off. He only works Mondays through Thursdays, so he didn't have to worry about showing up to work with a hangover this morning. His head was throbbing painfully. It felt like his head was caught in a vice, and the damn thing just kept squeezing.

"Is it morning?" He glanced down to the alarm clock, seeing the time. It was already past ten in the morning. "Why the fuck is my alarm going off at this hour?" He sighed before laying back down on his bed. He took a deep breath, then tensed when he smelled the air.

The pink haired man started sniffing, realizing the air smelled like a mixture of sweat and sex. Once again he had the problem of trying to remember what happened last night. This time it didn't take as long for the memories to come flooding back.

"Lucy!"

His eyes shot over to the other side of the bed, searching for the blonde. His heart clenched painfully in his chest when he realized she wasn't there. He stood up, walking over to his dresser to quickly get changed. He really needed a shower, but that could wait. Right now he needed to find Lucy more.

After throwing on a clean change of clothes, he left his bedroom. Once he opened his door, his blue-furred cat ran into his room, meowing like crazy from being ignored all night.

"Not now, Happy," Natsu bent down to pet the feline on his head. "Gotta find Lucy."

He glanced up, frowning when he didn't see the woman immediately. He walked through his apartment, checking his bathroom, kitchen, and living room. He doubted she would be in the laundry room or closets, but he checked them too for the hell of it. Still, he couldn't find her anywhere in his home, because she left. She didn't even bother leaving a note or anything. It was almost as if she was never there.

"Fuck," he dropped to his knees, not caring that the landing on his tile floor was harsh. He held both sides of his head, wondering what he did wrong. _'Why did she leave? Was she ever even here? What the hell happened?'_

He had only questions, and no answers. The ideas he could come up with tore his heart up. _'Did... did she go back to her husband? Was this some kind of sick game to her? Messing with my emotions just to leave?'_

He shook his head. Lucy wouldn't do that to him. Or at least, he hoped she wouldn't. Her tears had been genuine last night, her kisses felt so real, so passionate. He couldn't believe she did it all as some type of cruel prank.

Natsu felt the stinging sensation in his eyes. He was starting to cry. No matter how much he didn't want to, he allowed the tears to roll down his cheeks. He finally had her. He finally had the woman he loved more than anything in the world, and she left him.

Again.

He choked out a sob as his body began to shake. _'This isn't happening! I'm dreaming! It's not real!'_ He pinched his arms, but nothing changed. He was still sitting on his kitchen floor, he was still the only person in his apartment, and Lucy was still gone.

"God fucking damn it!" He rose, legs carrying him to his freezer. The urge was far greater than ever before.

Natsu opened the door, grabbing out a bottle of vodka. It was the cheap kind, one with an off-brand label and a taste that could kill his brain cells. He didn't care. He opened it up and lifted it to his lips. Before he could take a swig, he stopped.

Natsu closed his eyes, letting his nose fill with the smell of the liquor. For the first time in years, he didn't want to drink his problems away. Hesitantly, he set the bottle on the counter, then put the cap back on.

"What the fuck do I do now?" He hadn't been in this situation. Ever since Lucy left the first time, he'd been trying to cover his pain by any means necessary. In the beginning, he resorted to using exercise as a distraction. Any time he'd start to think about the blonde, he'd immediately go for a run or visit the gym.

When that wasn't enough, he turned to other women. At first he tried to convince himself that it was the best way to get over Lucy, but after a while, he realized the only females he liked were all blondes. Even then, he didn't stop his unhealthy relationships. They were a great distraction after all.

As he got older, he found people who would buy him alcohol for the right price. It was easy hiding it from everyone at first. They assumed he was withdrawing because he was heartbroken, not knowing how far his pain really ran.

For a while he considered experimenting with drugs, but he never ended up going through with it. He didn't want to get hooked on something dangerous and highly illegal. That's why his poison of choice was alcohol.

When he was finally legally old enough to drink, he began hitting up the bars when he thought about Lucy. Unfortunately for him, that was almost every night. When he was single, he spent most nights at the bar, trying to drink away his pain, and his paycheck. When Natsu was in a relationship, he focused on the woman, trying to take his mind off of the stinging pain in his chest. His relationships never lasted long, and always ended with him right back at the bar, trying to forget his heartache.

Natsu sighed. He popped the cap off the bottle again. This time, instead of lifting the rim up to his lips, he turned it upside down, letting the contents of the bottle pour into the sink. He watched as the clear liquid leaked down the drain. He wasn't sure if he was really ready to give up drinking, but he figured there was one thing he could try that might help him cope with his alcohol addiction.

He threw the empty bottle away, then started looking through the drawers of his kitchen. He was looking for something Gray gave him months ago. Something he thought he'd never need.

* * *

_"Hey Buddy," a raven haired man said as he stepped into the apartment, immediately cringing when he took in the smell. "Really? It's not even noon. Why does this place smell like booze?"_

_The pink haired man being questioned went to sit at his table, ignoring his concerned friend to turn his attention over to his drink. He usually didn't drink beer, but it was all he had in his apartment, and he really didn't feel like going outside today. Not to mention the fact that he was now broke._

_"Natsu?"_

_"Gray?" Natsu said in a sarcastic tone. "What do you want?"_

_His emerald eyes never left his drink, even when he heard his friend approaching._

_"Look, I didn't want to say it, but we're all worried about you."_

_The pink haired man scoffed, then let out a strained laugh. "Noo reason ta be worried. I'm doin' jush fine." Despite his words, he slurred as he spoke, but he still sounded clear enough to understand. He wasn't drunk yet, but he was working towards that goal fast._

_A cold hand landed on Natsu's wrist. Dark green eyes shot up to look at Gray. "What!"_

_The raven haired man flinched back at the sudden outburst. His eyebrows drew in, a glare forming as he opened his mouth. "Look at you man! You look awful!"_

_"Why don'tcha tell me what you really think?" Natsu brought his drink up to his lips, then chugged the remaining liquid. "I'm fine," he said in a nicer tone. "Really. I just got dumped yesterday. Bitch ruined some of the pictures I had of-" Even then, he couldn't say her name out loud. It was too painful._

_"Lucy?"_

_Natsu tensed when he heard Gray say her name. It was enough to make him feel a little more sober. Forcing himself to seem calm, he shrugged, "yeah. Those pictures. I went out last night. Spent all my money, and payday's not 'til tomorrow, so I thought I'd save some money and drink at home. No one has to put up with me this way."_

_Gray's eyes softened. "No one 'puts up' with you. We just want you to be happy, but I don't think drinking yourself to death is gonna do that."_

_"You don't know that," Natsu said in defense as he jerked his wrist away from Gray's touch. "What are you doin' here anyways? Shouldn't you be at home with your happy family instead of pestering me!?"_

_Gray sighed, shaking his head. "I just came to drop this off." He reached for his chest, then gasped when he felt his bare skin. "Damn it, I was just wearing a shirt!"_

_"It's over there," Natsu pointed with his chin over to the kitchen where Happy was playing with the dark blue shirt._

_The raven haired man walked over and gently tugged his clothing away from the cat. Once it was in his possession again, he fished through the chest pocket, then pulled out a card. He placed the card in front of Natsu, gaining the pink haired man's attention._

_"What's this?"_

_"An alcoholic's anonymous group. They meet a few times a week. I think it'd be good for you." Gray remained quiet, as if expecting something._

_Natsu wanted to take a swing at the stripping bastard, or at least yell at him some more. However, his energy to do so faded when he glanced at the card. It had a slogan for the group typed at the bottom of the paper._ _**You can overcome this.** _

_Natsu let out some air through his nose, "thanks, but I'm really fine."_

_Gray tapped on the card, "just try it? Please? If you don't like it then you don't have to go back, but for Erza and me, could you at least give it a shot."_

_The pink haired man lifted his head, fierce eyes locking with a cold gaze. "I'll try it," he lied. He had no intentions of going to some group. He had everything under control, or at least that's what he thought._

_There was no point in going to AA. He didn't have a problem, he wasn't addicted. He was just, sad... And alcohol was how he coped. It was normal. Other people did it all the time, so he had no idea why Gray was giving him such a hard time._

_Still, he said he'd go, just to get his friend off his back. It worked, unfortunately._

_Gray left that day with a small smile on his face, and Natsu ended that day getting drunk off his ass, only to end up crying alone in his bed. He threw the card in a random drawer in his kitchen, no intentions on ever going to a meeting._

* * *

"Found it," Natsu said as he lifted the business card to his face. It was wrinkled from when he crumpled it, but he could still read the number typed on the paper. He reached down to his jeans for his phone, then realized the device wasn't on him.

Curious, he went back to his room and found last night's jeans thrown near Happy's cat bed. He picked them up, easily finding his phone in his pockets. He tried to click the on button, but realized it was dead. "Hmmm, guess I shoulda charged it last night."

Natsu plugged the device into his charger, seeing the battery symbol light up on his phone. It would take a bit before it was good enough to use, so he kept it there in the mean time.

He was about to set down his jeans when he realized something. He fisted the material in his hands, looking for any lumps. When he found none, he checked all four pockets. "Damn it," he muttered to himself. "Where the fuck did I put my wallet."

The pink haired man's mind went to last night. Some parts were still hazy. He remembered paying for the drinks at Fairy Tail, then-

_'Did I put it in my pocket? I don't remember, but that doesn't mean I didn't do it.'_ He sighed, admitting to himself that he'd have to retrace his steps. Unfortunately, that meant he had to go back to Fairy Tail.

Natsu tried turning on his phone, relieved when the device lit up after holding the on button. The battery was still weak, but it would be enough to make a call as long as he kept it on the charger.

Natsu took a long, deep breath. He didn't want to admit he had a problem, but that was step one, right? He dialed the number, then his thumb hovered over the call button for a few extra seconds.

After stalling, he finally pressed the button. He brought the phone up to his ear, then waited.

_Ring, Ring, Ring, Rin-_

_"Hello, thank you for calling Magnolia's helpline. If you know your parties extension, you may dial it now. Otherwise, please wait for-"_

Natsu pressed in the four digit extension that was listed on the card. He waited a while longer, listening to the hold music.

_"Good morning. This is Cana speaking with Magnolia's Alcoholic's Anonymous group. How may I help you?"_

The pink haired man paled. "Cana? Are you the same girl who went to Magnolia High? Cana Alberona?"

There was a pause before the lady finally answered, _"yes I am. You sound familiar. Do we know each other?"_

Natsu shook his head, "not really. We went to the same high school. Natsu. Natsu Dragneel."

_"Hmmm, I think I remember you. Were you the guy with pink hair?"_

The pink haired man nodded, "that's the one."

_"What can I help you with?"_

At first Natsu was worried about getting help, but if Cana - _the girl who always had some type of alcoholic beverage in her hands all throughout high school_ \- was getting help, then he could too. There might be hope for him.

"I need to join the AA group. I uh... I have a problem," Natsu felt his tone wavering, losing confidence despite his earlier thoughts.

There was no hesitation before Cana spoke. _"It's good to hear you're wanting help. The next meeting is this Sunday night at seven. Do you think you can make that?"_

"Y-yes," he gulped, thinking it was too soon. _'If I'm going to do this, better do it before I can change my mind.'_

_"Great, I'll see you then. You only have to bring yourself, no paperwork required. If you have any loved ones that would like to come with you for support, they're more than welcome to join."_

Natsu didn't bother telling her he didn't have any loved ones he'd want to bring. His family didn't know fully about his addiction, and for some reason he felt embarrassed to ask Gray or Erza to come with him, even if they were the ones wanting him to get help in the first place.

"Thanks, I'll see you Sunday."

_"Have a nice day, Mr. Dragneel. If you have anymore questions, don't be afraid to call."_

The line went dead. Natsu pulled the phone away from his ear to peer down at the screen. During the call his phone had received a multitude of text messages. He ignored the ones from his ex-girlfriend, the one he sent a payback picture to last night. They were filled with a string of cuss words, and he didn't have the energy to put up with that.

The other texts were from Gray and Erza, asking if he was all right. He didn't know why they were wondering, so he just sent back that he was fine. One text stood out from the others. It was from the lady he used as a booty call. The same lady he thought for a moment he was hooking up with last night until he remembered he was actually with Lucy.

_'Lucy...'_

His heart throbbed again. His first instinct was to grab something to drink, but he couldn't do that anymore. Not only did he want to try to change himself, but he was also out of alcohol.

"Why'd she leave again?" His question was met with silence, like always.

He glanced back at his phone, seeing the message from the woman. He skimmed through it, but it basically said she would be free tonight if he wanted to hook up.

Natsu found no comfort in the thoughts of hooking up with any other woman now. He was being honest last night when he realized he would never be able to go back to 'just sex' again after having Lucy.

He sighed, then texted back, **Sorry, I don't do that anymore. Thanks though.**

The pink haired male didn't bother seeing if she was going to reply. The moment he pressed send, he made up his mind. Giving up booze was just one step. He had to also give up the random women and the meaningless relationships if he wanted to improve himself.

"Give up everything that's unhealthy," his mind drifted to the box under his bed. The one filled with pictures and notes from Lucy. He knew it was unhealthy to keep them, but he wasn't ready just yet to give that up as well. Maybe if he got better he'd revisit that idea, but for now, he would just avoid looking through it. That was a step all on its own.

Natsu was about to move when he realized something was touching him. He looked down, smiling. Happy was rubbing his head against his owner's leg.

"Guess I should get you something to eat?" Natsu said as he walked back to the kitchen. He opened the fridge, then cringed. He literally only had half of a raw fish and an empty jug of milk in his refrigerator. "I should probably go grocery shopping too..."

He grabbed the raw fish, then placed it on a plate for his cat. It was already cleaned, so the cat could freely eat at it without worrying about scales or bones.

Natsu knew he couldn't go grocery shopping without his wallet, so he said bye to Happy before heading off to Fairy Tail. He left his phone at home since the thing was about to die again. It wasn't like he needed it right now anyway.

He pet Happy one more time before making his way to his front door. He was about to unlock it when he realized it was already unlocked. "Huh... Well I guess she couldn't really lock it back if she was trying to make an exit."

He opened the door, then locked it back. He didn't live in a bad neighborhood, but it was still stupid to leave his door unlocked. Natsu decided to skip the elevator, not wanting to get sick on the ride down. He opened the door to the stairs. He was halfway down when he caught his reflection in a window.

His hair was more wild than normal, his eyes were red from crying, and his frown was the most predominant feature on his face. He looked like shit, but there wasn't much he could do about it now.

Natsu ran his hands through his pink locks, trying to tame them. He couldn't do anything about his eyes, but the frown he had a chance to fix. He tried smiling, he really did, but his mood was at an all time low. He realized he actually felt better _before_ Lucy came back into his life. Now that he had a taste of her, seeing what it was like to actually be with her and then lose it, well it was worse than never knowing at all.

Then again, it might just be because he was choosing to be sober this time. Usually right now he'd be on his way to get drunk to forget about her. Honestly, he never truly forgot. He just got numb enough to ease the pain, but now he felt it fully.

Natsu sighed before finishing his journey down the stairs. Just as he entered the main lobby of his apartment complex, he saw the elevator doors close. He didn't pay it any attention as he left the complex to walk down the street.

The trip seemed shorter than normal, but it was probably due to his troubled mind. He was still unsure if he really wanted to stop drinking. It had been his comfort for so long now. He wasn't even sure if he _could_ give up drinking. What if he gave it a shot, only to turn to the bottle the next time something really bad happened to him. It was bound to happen, seeing as life wasn't perfect.

"I don't want perfect," Natsu muttered as he crossed the street. Fairy Tail was less than a block away now.

When the parking lot came into view, his breath hitched. The only car present was a small silver car that belonged to Mira. _'Lucy really did leave.'_

Natsu didn't get a good look at Lucy's rental car last night. She pointed to it on their way to his apartment, but he was lost in her eyes. He barely registered what it looked like, and that was with his mind clouded by lust and alcohol. He doubted he'd recognize it now even if he did see it.

The pink haired man held back the urge to cry. He couldn't allow those tears to spill, because then he'd want to drink to get rid of the pain. He had to actually deal with his own emotions, no matter how awful they may be.

After taking a few minutes to calm himself down, he went to the front door and knocked. Fairy Tail wasn't open at this hour, but he was sure Mira would be able to hear him. Sure enough, the white haired woman made herself visible at the front door.

Natsu waved, and opened his mouth to explain why he was there, but there was no need. Mira unlocked the door and opened it without him needing to say a word. "Come on in!"

He nodded, then entered.

"I'm guessing you're here about your wallet?" Mira said, walking behind the counter.

"How'd you know?" Natsu asked, moving so he stood on the other side of the bar.

The white haired woman pressed a few buttons on the cash register before it popped open. "Lisanna left a note saying you might stop by. Seems you left it last night." She turned to face him. "Apparently you seemed rather, _distracted_."

Natsu's cheeks flushed at what she was implying. "Oh, yeah..." He scratched at his scalp, averting his eyes so he didn't look directly at the woman.

"It's okay," Mira assured. "There's no reason to be embarrassed."

Natsu wondered just what that note said. _'Did she mention Lucy? Is that why Mira's giving me that look?'_

Before the owner of Fairy Tail handed over the wallet, she said, "we're having a cookout next weekend to celebrate Elfman graduating college. It'd be great if you could make it."

The pink haired man's shoulders went slack. He already started forming his decline. He didn't go to social events, always feeling like an outcast among his friends. He usually resorted to drinking, but tried to keep it a little more under control. Of course he felt like they were judging him anyway, and it was always awkward and uncomfortable for him to endure. He had nothing against Elfman, or any of his other friends, but he knew it wasn't a scene for him.

"Actually-" Natsu stopped, and really thought about it. _'If I'm trying to make a change for the better... Maybe, just maybe, this is what I need. It'd be kinda nice to see my friends again. It's been a while... Plus it'll give me a chance to see if I can handle a night out without drinking. I'm sure Gray or Erza will be there to help me out if I need it, not that I want to admit I need their help... I don't know...'_

"If you want," Mira started, "I can put you down as a maybe, until you figure it out?"

Natsu shook his head, making up his mind right then. "I'll go. Just let me know when and where."

"Great!" The white haired woman said as she handed over the wallet. "I'll be sure to text you the details later."

"Sounds good," Natsu smiled, realizing he wasn't lying. It actually was starting to sound pretty good. "I gotta get going," he said after his stomach let out a growl.

"Have a good day, Natsu," the woman said, following him to the door. Once he was outside, she locked back up, not wanting people entering while the bar was closed.

Natsu started heading back to his apartment. He knew he needed to go grocery shopping, but that could wait. His head was pounding, and the last thing he wanted to do was go to the market with a hangover.

He decided to stop by a bakery on his way home. He got three donuts and a large coffee. Hopefully it would be enough to give him the boost he needed to get on with his day. Natsu still didn't want to admit that Lucy really left, but the evidence was piling against him. He didn't know if it was something he did, or said, but he felt like it was his fault.

_'Even if she doesn't end up with me, I hope she didn't go back to that asshole,'_ the pink haired man thought as he entered the lobby to his complex. He would be pissed if she went back to the man who repetitively abused and raped her. He couldn't even stomach the thought.

Choosing to take the elevator this time, he stepped into what he liked to call 'the box of doom.' He shoved one donut completely in his mouth, chewing it a few times, then swallowed the whole thing. He gulped most of his coffee, loving the way it made his body jolt. He knew it wouldn't be long until he was feeling better - _at least hangover-wise_.

He had no idea if his heart would hold up.

He was still upset that Lucy left. _'She couldn't even leave a note?'_ Even his last ex-girlfriend did that, and they didn't even love each other. Lucy told him multiple times last night that she loved him, so he couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that she actually left.

"Guess I'll never know," Natsu said to himself when the elevator stopped on his floor. The large doors opened, revealing the hallway that led to his apartment. He took one step before freezing.

His green eyes widened, his jaw going slack. "Wh-what-" He couldn't finish his sentence. Sitting right in front of his apartment door, surrounded by what appeared to be shopping bags, was the girl of his dreams.

"Lucy?"

The blonde quickly glanced up, a bright smile on her face. She stood, letting him see she was wearing her ripped jeans, a messy bun, and one of _his_ shirts. "Hey Natsu! You locked me out." She let out a giggle, and his heart soared.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again!  
> Of course I'd like to start out by thanking everyone for the kudos and hits! I'd also like to thank Miraculous_kid for commenting! Just thank you to everyone who's taking the time to read this story!  
> I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I know I enjoyed writing it, even though it caused me some pain. Let me know what you thought of the chapter! Did you guys think Lucy really left? What do you think will happen now? :)  
> Up next, Chapter Nine: New Path.


	9. New Path

**Warning! Slight triggers! There's a paragraph or two on self-harm towards the end. Also, this chapter is over 8,000 words long. Read at your own pace, don't try to force it. Give yourself time, and enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter Nine: New Path**

Natsu stared at Lucy. They both stood in the hall outside his apartment, speechless for a moment.

"You're really here," he mumbled under his breath, eyes locked on her own.

"I tried to call, but I kept getting sent to voicemail," she explained, not noticing the slight shake to his body. "I was scared you went to work or something. Some of this food is perishable, and I didn't want it to spoil."

"F-food?" He didn't know if he said anything or not, but Lucy nodded, so he guessed he did.

"Yeah. I wanted to do the cliché thing of making you breakfast the next morning, but all you had was fish and an empty bottle of milk..." She giggled, "I checked your freezer, but I don't think frozen mac and cheese would be a very good breakfast."

Natsu couldn't rip his eyes away from her. _'She's really here... She... She didn't leave me...'_ He honestly couldn't believe it. He was so convinced that history had repeated itself, that he didn't think for a second that she could be out buying groceries, of all things!

"I borrowed your shirt," Lucy said, tugging at the hem of his dark green shirt. It was baggy on her, hiding her curvy figure, but he practically had it memorized after last night. "I couldn't find my tank top this morning, so I had to improvise. I hope you don't mind."

The pink haired man remained silent. He heard every word she said, he just couldn't get himself to reply. He was still in awe over her presence.

"I-umm, I also used some of your mouthwash," she put a hand behind her neck, a faint blush surfacing on her cheeks. "I almost used your toothbrush, but that might be gross. Don't worry though, I bought my own while I was out..." She gave him an uneasy grin when he didn't answer her. "I was hoping I could keep it here... Since you said I could stay here. I don't want to impose, and I can leave once I find a place. I don't want to inconvenience you anymore than I already have."

"Lucy," her name slipped through his lips. He barely realized he said it, but he saw the way she jolted.

"So you _can_ talk," the blonde teased, giving him a wink. "I was starting to think you went mute." She glanced down at the bags, then up at him again. "Do you even eat breakfast? I know you did when we were in high school, but sometimes people change, and I just-"

Lucy didn't notice when Natsu dropped his donuts and coffee and walked straight up to her. Within seconds, he had his warm arms wrapped tightly around her, scared that if he loosened up, she might leave. It was irrational, but he didn't care. He felt the stinging sensation behind his eyes as they built up tears of shame and regret. He didn't want to cry, but damn it, the tears wouldn't stop flowing.

"I-I th-thought you l-left," he sobbed, not minding if he didn't sound masculine. He was hurting, even with her in his arms. The dull pain in his heart felt like it would never go away, and he doubted it ever would. Four years of pain couldn't be erased by one night of passion. It just couldn't.

Lucy's eyes softened, her own arms coming up to hug Natsu back. She didn't know she would hurt him by leaving, even if it was for a short shopping trip. She knew she should've left a note, but she only realized her mistake when she arrived to get her car from Fairy Tail's parking lot. Now she felt like a jerk, but judging by the way Natsu cradled her against his body, and how the shirt she was wearing was getting wet with tears, she guessed he'd forgive her.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. She never wanted to make him feel pain again, but that's exactly what she did. Now that they were so close, she could feel his body shaking. "I promise, I won't leave you again." She knew it was a white lie. She would have to 'leave' at some point. She couldn't follow him around twenty-four/seven for the rest of their lives.

But as far as being with him, no. She would never leave him again.

"I love you Natsu," she mumbled against his hair. He moved until his face was in the crook of her neck, wetting her skin as he continued to let out his bottled pain.

He sniffed back some snot, slowly letting the embarrassment cloud his mind. He pulled away reluctantly, keeping his head low so his pink locks covered his red, swollen eyes. He'd already cried today, but for different reasons. "I-I, I'm sorry," he sounded so defeated, so broken.

Lucy shook her head, "there's nothing to feel sorry for."

He nodded, but she could still see the way his bottom lip quivered. She really didn't know how deep his heartache ran. "I'm scared I'm going to lose you again," Natsu confessed, fresh tears racing down his red cheeks.

"I'm not going anywhere," it was another white lie, but he would find out the truth soon enough. "Should we go inside? I can make you breakfast?" Maybe after he had some food and calmed down, they could talk, and she could tell him about her plans.

"Y-yeah," he said hoarsely. His hand dipped into his pockets, then pulled out his keys. As he opened the door, Lucy grabbed her shopping bags. While she entered his apartment, he picked up his spilled coffee and dirty donuts. _'Oops...'_ The carpeted floor in the hall was already soaking up the dark brown liquid, so there was not much he could do.

Lucy got straight to work when she reached his kitchen. She didn't want to give him a chance to get upset again, so she dived into cooking, wanting to ease his pain in the only way she knew how. _'The way to a man's heart is through his stomach,'_ she thought as she cracked some eggs. She used to cook every once in a while for Natsu when they were in high school, so she had an idea on what he liked.

She set some coffee to brew, thankful that he had some in one of his cupboards. He didn't appear to have any creamers or sweeteners, so they'd have to take it black. She didn't mind, since it would help wake her up. Despite being up for hours, her head still pounded with a hangover. She didn't drink normally, and forgot she was supposed to drink water to negate these effects.

A shadow loomed over her. "Yes?" She asked as she used a fork to fluff the eggs.

Before Natsu spoke, she was already placing some bacon strips on a frying pan. "Why didn't you wake me up, or something?" His voice retained a gravely feel to it, but otherwise he sounded normal.

She suppressed the urge to giggle. "I _tried_ , but nothing I did seemed to do the trick. I even tried tickling you, but you were out cold."

Natsu flushed, imagining Lucy's fingers all over his body, only for him to remain asleep. It was true, he was a heavy sleeper. Years of drinking didn't help with the matter either, making the only way for him to wake up by alarm, or by his own doing. "Oh..."

"I set an alarm, hoping it would wake you up in time for me to come back, but I didn't think it'd take so long at the grocery store. I'm sorry I didn't leave a note though," she admitted as she flipped the bacon that was now sizzling. "It was pretty crappy of me..."

"No," Natsu muttered, his warm hands rested on her hips. He didn't have any reason to touch her other than confirming that she was really standing in front of him. "I kinda overreacted..."

"Well," Lucy glanced around his apartment. It didn't look any different from this morning, except now Happy was munching on a piece of fish. "Compared to how you used to act, I'd say you did good. I remember you used to break things without even trying."

They both laughed softly, letting the nostalgic memories take over.

Lucy remembered one time Natsu and Gray almost burned down their classroom because they were fighting over who got to start the fire for their Bunsen burner. Gray insinuated that Natsu didn't know what he was doing, so he tried to prove him wrong. Natsu was using the striker, and Gray was trying to grab it away from him. During the struggle, one of them accidentally knocked the lever, turning the gas on full blast. He tried to light the gas, but ended up setting Gray's shirt sleeve on fire in the process. The raven haired male had to strip off his shirt in a flash, then he threw it away from their table. It landed on someone else's already lit Bunsen burner, and completely caught on fire. If it weren't for Levy's quick actions, they would have surely burned everything. Thank goodness the fire extinguisher was by the bookworm's desk. Lucy had been so shocked watching the whole thing that she remained still at her table, unable to move a muscle.

Before Lucy could let herself get caught up in another memory, she asked, "so why was there almost no food in your place?"

The question startled Natsu out of his own memory, this one involving Erza and a fight behind the school - _that he unfortunately lost_.

"Oh, I-" He flushed, not knowing if he wanted to tell her the truth or not. There was no point in hiding it though, especially if he wanted to be with Lucy. Trust was key. "I don't do a lot of cooking. Usually I just eat microwavable meals," he didn't add, _'unless I'm in a relationship... Then usually the girl cooks or I get take out.'_

"Ehhh," Lucy made a face of disgust. For the past four years she'd been wined and dined pretty well, despite her terrible circumstances with her soon-to-be ex-husband. "Well, lucky for you, I know how to cook some stuff." She finished her sentence off while flipping the eggs. "I don't know a whole lot, but I can keep you fed."

Natsu nuzzled his nose into the back of her neck, smelling the scent of her shampoo. It wasn't the same smell as when she was in high school, but it still smelled nice. "I'd like that." Then he mumbled, "I was gonna go grocery shopping later today though... If you want to go with me."

Lucy sighed. She wanted to put this conversation off until later. "Actually, there's something I need to talk to you about. I was going to wait until you ate first."

"Okay," Natsu nodded against her skin, feeling her messy bun rub his forehead, "I can wait." He had no intentions of rushing her. He was just glad she came back.

Without another word, Natsu separated from Lucy as she placed the food on two plates. At least his dishes were clean. It was the only bright side of never cooking, he never had dirty dishes. Usually he used paper plates when it was just him, cutting down on the clean up time.

Lucy handed him a cup of coffee and his plate. It had three fried eggs and six pieces of bacon. Lucy's plate had a lot less, but that was because she normally didn't eat breakfast. She made an exception this morning so they could talk.

The blonde followed him to his table. It was a bit messy with random papers on it, so they had to push some things aside before they could get to eat. The pink haired man started into his food. Her cooking was just as amazing as he remembered. His heart almost leaped out of his chest as he chewed his breakfast. He hoped this wasn't the only time he got to enjoy Lucy's cooking. It was the best he'd eaten in years, but that might be due to _who_ made it.

Natsu gulped down four pieces of bacon and two eggs before he heard Lucy clear her throat.

The pink haired man glanced up at her, seeing her look to the side. She opened her mouth a few times, as if debating if she should speak or not. Finally, after a few moments of silence and a sip of coffee, she said, "I think we need to talk about our next move."

"What do you mean?" He asked, curious as to what she meant specifically. She could be referring to many different things, so he needed clarity before he let his mind spiral out of control like it usually did.

"For starters," she chewed on her bottom lip, and his eyes dropped to watch the movement. Even when she was being serious, she still looked adorable. It made him want to reach across the table and kiss her, but he knew it wasn't the time for those types of activities. He waited until she released her swollen lip. "Us."

"What about us?"

"I don't want you to think you're just some rebound," she admitted. "I'm scared you're going to think I'm not serious about this, but I am. I-I really want to be with you, but I don't want you having doubts."

Natsu understood completely. He had doubts earlier this morning. Even now, he still wondered if she would leave him again. It wasn't a healthy way to think, so he knew why she'd be afraid of that. Being honest, he said, "I do still worry... But I think... I think time is the only way to fix that. I can't know you're serious unless I see it for myself."

Lucy nodded. "Fair enough. We have all the time in the world," a small smile spread on her lips, but she was still holding back. "There's... more... It's about my husband."

Natsu's brows furrowed. For the smallest amount of time, he forgot she was married. He forgot all about the abuse she'd been put through, and all about his four years of heartache. It didn't last long at all, and perhaps that was a good thing. It was stupid to ignore things like that, especially when they were so crucial. With a strained jaw, he groused, "what about him?"

The blonde glanced down at her plate, seeing that she had barely nibbled on one strip of bacon. Her stomach was rumbling, but she had no appetite, not when her mind was racing with problems. "I already filed for divorce, but..."

He held his breath, waiting for her to say something else. He wanted to demand that she finished that sentence. It took everything in him not to ask. His thoughts already when to the worst case scenarios, but it was all for nothing.

"... I want to press charges against him... for, well..." She swallowed, feeling her throat tighten. "For hitting me, and..." Still, she couldn't say the word 'rape'. Part of her still felt like it was her fault, and she doubted that would ever go away. Maybe with counseling she could learn to function normally again. There was no telling how deep her damage really ran, but she wanted to get better.

It wasn't for Natsu's sake, it was for her own. She loved last night, because it was the first night in years that she didn't have a nightmare about her husband's abuse. She didn't know if Natsu being with her had anything to do with it, but she didn't want to rely completely on him to heal herself. It wasn't fair to Natsu, and it wasn't healthy either.

"...and.. r-ra..." her words fell short. If she couldn't even say it in the presence of the only man she trusted, how was she supposed to tell a police officer, or a judge! "Maybe I should just leave it alone."

"I don't think that's a good idea," Natsu finally spoke. "You shouldn't let him get away with it. What's to stop him from doing it to the next girl? Or the one after that?"

Lucy's eyes slowly raised until they landed on the pink haired man. "I know you're right, but..."

"It's hard?" Natsu guessed. When she nodded, he sighed, "I know it'll be hard, and probably embarrassing, but if you can stop him from doing it again, it'll be worth it. Even if you're not doing it for you, you'd still be doing the world some good by getting a rapist off the streets."

Lucy flinched hard at the word 'rapist'. For years she had convinced herself that her husband's behaviors were normal. She was the wife, she was supposed to have sex with him. Deep in her heart she knew the truth, but she spent so long warping that truth until it made sense to her, until it no longer made her feel so disgusting. Unfortunately, it didn't always work. She felt used, degraded, like damaged goods.

The blonde jolted back when she felt warm fingers on her face. She gasped, then realized it was just Natsu. He brushed away the tears that were now flowing down her cheeks. It looked like she didn't realize she was crying, so lost in her own thoughts. "When it comes down to it, it's what you want Luce. I can't force you to do something you don't want. No one can," he stressed, hoping she understood his hidden meaning. No one, not even her husband could force her to do something she didn't want to do, and if he tried - _which he did, multiple times_ \- then he should be punished.

The irrational side of Natsu wanted to go straight up to her husband and beat him until he couldn't breathe, cut off his dick, then tie him up naked in the middle of town with a huge sign that said 'rapist' hanging from his neck. He almost got hard just thinking about exacting Lucy's revenge in the most savage way possible.

Of course the more sane side of Natsu said the police should probably handle the issue. He didn't want to go to prison himself over this, even if something in his gut told him it'd be worth it, for Lucy.

"I guess I'll have time to think about it during the drive," she muttered, and he almost didn't hear her because his thoughts wandered back to harming her good-for-nothing husband.

"Drive?" He asked, his stomach twisting as he thought about her leaving mixed with the idea of a vehicle. It was almost pathetic that just the mention of a car could get him sick.

"That's another thing I wanted to talk to you about," Lucy admitted, her brown eyes were now dry, but her shed tears still stained her pale cheeks. "I need to go back to Crocus to get my stuff, and... and I was wondering if you'd come with me."

"Yes," he said without hesitation. Vehicles be damned, he wasn't going to turn down the chance to be with Lucy, especially if she was going back to that douche's hometown, where she technically lived. As an after thought, he asked, "you're driving there? Isn't it far?"

"A full day's drive, usually twenty-four hours, give or take some time for traffic and stops. I know you don't like to, but I remember in high school sometimes you'd drive your dad's truck if you took those pills... Do they still work?"

"Yeah," Natsu nodded, feeling his stomach churn, "still gives me side effects, but I can manage. You want me to drive some too so we don't have to stop?"

"That was the idea," she admitted, her cheeks burning as they turned red. "That's presumptuous of me, huh? Just assuming you'd come along and drive too..."

The pink haired male's hand slowly rested on her cheek, "I'd do anything for you." His green eyes were completely on her, boring into her very soul. "Anything," he repeated, his voice as strong and calm as could be. He wasn't lying. He would kill and die for her, because that's how much his damaged heart loved her.

Lucy stared in awe. The intensity in his eyes stunned her for a second. "Umm, great," she said, but her tone was lacking enthusiasm. All she could think about was how much she loved this man, and how serious he could be when needed.

Without thinking, she leaned in. Natsu didn't wait for her to come to him, deciding to lean in as well, capturing her lips in an instant. The kiss was slow, neither one wanting to rush things. Mouths opened, but tongues didn't invade. Natsu sucked lazily on her bottom lip, giving it a little tender loving care since she chewed on it earlier, and Lucy hummed at the sensation. Overall the kiss lasted about a minute before they pulled away, eyes hooded from the pleasure.

A large, goofy grin was planted on Natsu's face. Pink dusted across his cheeks and nose, but he didn't notice it. He was too busy watching Lucy's face grow steadily red from his attention. Seeing that she was more calm, and not about to cry again, he stood up fully. Taking two steps away, he sat back down in his chair. "Eat up," he gently instructed. "It's gonna be a loooong drive. You'll need your energy."

The blonde nodded, then looked at her food. It wasn't as hot anymore, but at least now she had her appetite back. They ate their breakfast, occasionally looking up to steal a glance at the other before quickly looking back down to their plate. It almost felt like they were two shy teenagers, even after everything they'd been through.

When they both finished, Natsu grabbed their plates, then went to the sink to wash the dishes. It was only fair, since she cooked, he could clean up. Lucy strolled up behind him, leaning on the opposite counter as he washed both forks.

"I want to file a restraining order," she blurted out, changing the mood considerably. Natsu barely nodded his head, waiting to hear more. "When we get back here, I need to find a job so I can get my own place."

That made Natsu tense. "Why? I thought you were staying with me?"

"Until I found somewhere else to live," she clarified. "I don't want to impose. You're being very generous right now, but I don't want to take advantage of you."

"You're not taking advantage of me," he turned his head, but continued to scrub at the plate he just picked up. "I love having you around. You make everything, brighter."

Lucy flushed, then avoided his gaze. "You don't think I'm inconveniencing you?"

A small laugh sounded from the pink haired man, "no way. I'd be sad if you left... Not that I'm saying you _have_ to stay, just that I _want_ you to. It's completely up to you though, but I want you to know where I stand." He rushed out the last part, hoping he didn't offend her by implying that she should stay so he didn't get upset. That's the last thing he wanted to happen, her staying out of guilt.

"If you promise it's okay, then I'll stay."

Natsu saw her look up at him finally. Her eyes were watery, but she was holding back the tears. He couldn't imagine what was going on in her mind. Rinsing his hands off and drying them, he turned to face her fully. "Lucy Heartfilia, I would love it if you stayed with me at my apartment."

Before she could answer, she felt something brush against her leg. She glanced down, seeing the blue cat rub himself against her.

"And Happy agrees. He wants you here too," Natsu smiled, glad that the cat was on his side.

"Then I guess it's settled, I'm staying here now."

Ignoring his wet hands, the man wrapped Lucy in a tight hug. "Awesome!" She laughed, and he kissed her neck. It felt, almost too perfect. It felt so right, being with her, in this place, with his cat rubbing around their ankles... It felt like a home with her around.

"I love you, Lucy," he confessed against her tender flesh. Placing another kiss to her neck, he mumbled, "so so much."

As Lucy started talking, Natsu continued to place open mouthed kisses to her skin. "When do you have... _mmmm_ , to uh, be at... at work again," the blonde was losing concentration as his hands came up to rest on her waist, kneading her body with his fingers.

"Monday," he said before licking up to her jawline. "I'll have to call Gray and tell him to look after Happy while we're gone..."

Lucy's breathing picked up as she tried to stay composed. She knew she could tell him to stop, and he actually would, but she enjoyed the way he touched her. It was filled with love and respect, and not at all forced, or used for an ulterior motive. Natsu only wanted them to feel pleasure, not pain or humiliation.

"If we leave... _Ohhh_ ," she gasped when he nipped at her neck. "If ummm, if we leave soon, we can get to Cro- _ooohh_ , Cr-Crocus by tomorrow morning..." A drawn out moan slipped past her lips when Natsu sucked on her earlobe.

"Well then we should probably leave soon," he breathed in her ear, sending delicious chills through her veins. Despite his words, he continued to play with her body. Now he left no gaps between them, the hardness in his pants rubbing against her hip.

"When we get there," Lucy closed her eyes, tilting her head back to allow easier access for his wandering tongue. "I, umm, need to... to see my father..."

At the mention of Jude Heartfilia, Natsu pulled away. It wasn't that he was upset she was going to see him, it was just that he didn't like thrusting up against her while she talked about her old man.

Blinking away the lust in her eyes, Lucy cleared her throat, "I called him this morning." She lifted her brows, trying to will away the pressure that had built between her legs from Natsu's touches. "He knows I'm coming back, and he offered to buy me and you plane tickets to come back to Magnolia when we're done there."

"He bought me a ticket?" The pink haired man asked, his hand pressing against his stomach while he tried to not think about getting on a plane. He'd never ridden one before, so he had no idea what to expect.

"Not yet," Lucy corrected. "I told him I'm coming back to Magnolia after I get a restraining order and get some of my stuff. He said he wanted me to stay with him, but I told him I didn't want that. I also told him you'd probably be coming with me, but I didn't know when you had to be at work again, so he's holding off on buying them until I let him know."

"The earliest we can get there is Saturday, and I have to be at work Monday morning..." Natsu rolled his eyes up, thinking about their schedule. "That'd mean you'd only have about a day and a half before we had to come back."

"I think that's enough time. I don't want to get a lot of my stuff. Mainly some clothes and a picture of my mom. My car's there too, but I can leave it at my dad's house, unless..." She frowned, obviously troubled by something.

"What is it?" Natsu's hands were still at her waist, but not with a tight a grip.

She cringed, then shook her head. "I can't ask you to call out from work. I was going to say we can drive my car back, but we probably wouldn't make it back by Monday..."

As much as Natsu wanted to say calling out of work would be no problem, it really wasn't. He had people depending on him, and so far he'd never called out of work, even on his shittiest days. "I can't really miss work..."

"I understand," she smiled, showing that she meant it. "I can get it another time, or better yet, I can ask my father to sell it for me and he can send me the money."

"Are you sure you'd want to do that?" He cocked his head. He'd never seen her car before, since she got it after she left, but he couldn't imagine it'd be easy to just part with it.

"I'm sure. I didn't drive it a lot anyway. He..." Lucy gulped when she thought about her husband's temper. "He umm, didn't like it when I left the house without him."

"Say no more," Natsu curled his arms around her again, but this time in a defensive manner, as if someone might try to steal her away from him. "Truth be had, I have something I need to go to Sunday night... At seven..." He was unsure if he should confess that he's going to an AA meeting. _'Would she think less of me if I told her I had a problem?'_

"Okay," Lucy didn't ask what he had going on, instead she said, "then we'll come back by plane."

Despite getting his way, Natsu groaned.

"It's not so bad," Lucy joked, noticing the slight blue tint over his nose. "It feels like you're riding an elevator... for a few hours."

Stomach bile rose in Natsu's throat at the thought. "I'll-Ommmph, I'll be right back." He retreated, heading for his bathroom to let himself throw up everything he ate that morning. He hated wasting Lucy's cooking like that, but the thought of riding something that feels like an elevator for _hours_ killed his stomach.

Before leaving the bathroom, he pissed, washed his hands, shaved, then brushed his teeth. He felt a little more refreshed now, and only hoped the feeling would last a bit longer. It took a lot of effort to not think about the flying mode of transportation.

Instead of going to the kitchen, he headed to his bedroom. If they were going to Crocus, he needed a change of clothes at least. After he packed a small backpack, he walked into the living room to drop his bag by the front door.

Lucy was still in the kitchen, talking on her phone. "Yes... Soon... I'm pretty sure I have enough... Yes we're going straight there... Okay... Yes, by Sunday afternoon... Thank you... Bye father... Love you too." The blonde hung up the phone, then slipped it into her pocket.

"Everything okay?" Natsu asked, making his way to the sighing woman.

"Yeah, I'm just not looking forward to this drive. I told my father the plans, he's buying our tickets now." Lucy smiled when Natsu's warm hands snaked around her waist. "I was wondering if I could take a quick shower before we leave?"

Natsu smirked, his eyes gleaming with a devious glint. "Can I join you?"

Lucy's face flushed a bright red. "I-I, I guess," she'd never showered with someone before. It didn't sound very convenient, plus, Natsu would get a good look at every inch of her. "Just... try not to look, at my legs and stomach..."

"It'll be kinda hard not to," his arms gripped her under her butt, then lifted her into the air. She let out a shriek, but he just laughed. "It's hard not to look at your sexiness, but I'll try." With that, Natsu stumbled to his bathroom. He was sober this time, but Lucy was flailing about, throwing him off balance with every step.

It was worth it, since she started to laugh right as he entered the bathroom.

Natsu set her down, immediately going to the shower to start the water. "Hope you like it hot," he smiled at her, loving how embarrassed she got.

Feeling a lack of shame, the pink haired man stripped down to his boxers right in front of Lucy. When he was done, he hooked his thumbs on his waistband, "feeling shy are we?" It was a little light teasing, causing Lucy to sputter. She was still fully dressed, while he was already pulling down his last bit of clothing.

His hard cock sprung free, bouncing a little when the waistband snagged on the head. "Normally I'd say ladies first, but it'd probably be easier if I start, that way you can get naked in private."

Once again, she could only sputter.

Before getting in the shower, Natsu stepped up to her, giving her a long, sensual kiss. Just as she melted into his touches, he pulled away. "See you in there." And just like that, Lucy was left outside of the shower, debating what just happened.

Knowing Natsu wouldn't judge her as easily as other people, she started removing her clothes. First to come off was his shirt, then her shoes and socks. She struggled with her jeans. It wasn't that they were too tight to come off, it was that she was still worried that he might think less of her when he saw her scars again. He hadn't degraded her the first time, but he'd also been partially drunk. She had no idea how Natsu would react when sober.

Feeling the anxiety creep up, her eyes darted to the sink. As if sensing its presence, her eyes landed on a razor. She moved as if she didn't have a mind, she stepped up to the razor and picked it up. It was still wet, with extremely short pink hairs caught between the blades. She imagined the sensation of dragging that sharp edge against her skin. She never thought she'd want to cut herself after leaving her husband, but here she was, bringing the razor closer to her body.

Right before the blades touched the skin on her stomach, she heard Natsu holler, "you change your mind?"

"What?!" Lucy jolted, dropping the razor into the sink. "Shit," she hissed under her breath. _'How can I be so stupid. Why... Why did I even want to cut again. I'm not sad anymore, right? I'm leaving my husband, so my problems should go away too... I thought these feelings would just... vanish!'_

Realizing a little too late, she thought, _'maybe my problems aren't going to go away that easily...'_

The revelation was troubling.

Lucy picked the razor back up, then placed it where she found it. As soon as her hand went back to her side, she heard Natsu again, but this time louder. "Everything okay?"

She jerked her body, facing the shower. Natsu had his head of soapy pink hair sticking out from the curtain. "Luce?"

"I'm fine!" The blonde spoke way to loud and way too fast. She cursed her rapid heartbeat and the flush that coated her neck and chest. _'He didn't see, did he? Does he know what I was about to do?'_

"...Okay..." Natsu rose a brow, but chose not to ask why she seemed so tense. "Are you joining me? The water feels great."

"I...umm..." She turned away, ashamed of her actions. How could she let Natsu love her, when she didn't even love herself.

"You don't have to," the pink haired man assured, catching her attention. His voice sounded apologetic. "Look, if I pressured you-"

"No!" Lucy couldn't shake her head fast enough. "It's not like that. I just..." She felt the prick behind her eyes, but she refused to let the tears form. _'Be honest with him. If he truly loves me, he'll understand...'_

Taking a deep breath, she tried confessing, "I'm having... issues. And, and I-" She couldn't get it out. Even the knowledge that Natsu _might_ understand wasn't enough to let her tell him the truth.

"Do you want to come in?" Natsu sounded unsure of himself, his goofy grin long gone. "I'm almost done..."

"I want to shower with you," Lucy admitted, relieved that her voice didn't crack. "Just, give me a minute to get undressed."

A small smile lifted the corners of his mouth. "Take your time." Natsu pulled back into the shower, letting the warm water wash over his hair. He already cleaned his body, so he was almost finished anyway.

 _'Maybe this is for the best,'_ he thought as the last bits of conditioner ran down the drain. Lucy probably wasn't ready for something like this, and it was wrong of him to suggest it so early on. Being honest with himself, he was hoping to get intimate with her again before the trip to Crocus. Hell, every few thoughts of his drifted back to the wild night they had together, and all the things he wanted to do with her. He was so caught up in the lewd visions that he hadn't noticed when another body entered the shower.

"Hey," Lucy's meek voice came from behind him.

He turned around, looking down at her with a gentle smile. "Hey." They locked eyes, staring for a few seconds. "I'm done, if you want the shower to yourself."

The blonde shook her head. "I was going to ask if you'd wash my back."

His eyes softened, glad that she wanted him around, "I'd be happy to."

Natsu stepped aside, letting Lucy take the stream of water. She worked on her hair first, then glanced around in confusion. "Can I use your stuff? That's the one thing I forgot to buy while I was out."

"Yeah," he said eagerly. The thought of Lucy smelling like him turned him on in a weird way. It was almost like marking her with his scent, but he decided not to let it get to his head. He grabbed a bottle of shampoo, happy that it wasn't too masculine, but also not girly.

She thanked him, then worked the liquid into her long locks. She shyly asked for his body wash, which he handed to her along with the sponge he used to clean himself with. It was his only one, so she'd have to share.

Lucy didn't mind. She got to work, scrubbing every inch of her body that she could reach. Natsu was oddly respectful, keeping his eyes on her face, even when she washed her breasts and private parts.

The blonde rinsed the shampoo out of her hair, then smiled when Natsu handed her a bottle of conditioner without being asked. Despite him not looking down at her body, she stole - _what was supposed to be a quick_ \- glance at his.

His tan, muscled torso was already drying since she hogged all the water. Beads of liquid dripped down every rigid ab as they made their way to his waist. She gulped when she saw his manhood. It stood erect, sprouting from a small bush of pink hair. More than anything, she wanted to grab it, touch it, lick-.

"Want me to get your back?"

Lucy's eyes snapped up. That devilish smirk on Natsu's face let her know she'd been caught staring at his cock. Her skin felt like it was on fire. To say she was embarrassed would be an understatement.

"I'm sorry!"

"No need to be," he said confidently. It made him proud that his body could reduce her to a drooling mess. And he said drooling because her lips had parted, and the smallest bit of saliva trickled from the corner of her mouth while her eyes were glued to his erection.

Lucy didn't say anything else on the matter. She was already caught, so there was no talking her way out of this one. After turning back to face the water, she rubbed the conditioner into her hair, praying he wouldn't tease her about her ogling.

She should've known better.

"Are you ready for my assistance?" Natsu asked, taking a step closer to her. His hardness pressed against her soft ass, causing her to gasp. "Here," he grabbed the soapy sponge from the shower caddy.

He pulled away, but only enough to allow him access to her back. The tip of his cock still touched her skin. Her shoulders were tense, but slowly went slack as he rubbed the sponge over her back in a soothing way. He didn't press too gentle, but he also didn't want to hurt her by going as rough as he did with himself.

He knew she already washed everywhere else, but he wanted to tease her a bit. The sponge drifted, until it brushed over her butt. When she didn't pull away, he kept going, rubbing it against her sensitive skin.

Natsu's hand wandered, running up her body and to the front. She said nothing as he washed her breasts again, making sure to pay extra attention on her hardening nipples. A moan tumbled from her lips, and he knew he had her.

"Can I wash you with my hands?" He asked, wanting to get permission before going any further. He desperately craved her body. He wanted to play with it, pleasure it, worship it!

Lucy nodded, then leaned back until she pressed against his chest. "Please," she begged, making his cock impossibly harder.

"With pleasure," he moaned as his hands squeezed the sponge until they were covered in soap. His hands went straight for her breasts, causing her to arch her back and press her butt harder against his cock. Still soapy, his cock slid into the crack of her ass where he began thrusting against her. "God, you're amazing Luce!"

His fingers found both nipples. She was so soapy that the little buds kept slipping from his grasp, but that only made him try that much more to pleasure her.

The air was steamy, making Natsu sweat despite being in the shower. He touched her all over, trying to show her how much he treasured her. He wanted her to know how much he loved and enjoyed her, because she was his everything.

Lucy began moving her body against his, letting the soap and water get their skin more slippery. When all the soap was cleaned from his cock, he whispered in a ragged breath, "can I take you again, please?"

"Yes!" Lucy's hand was between her legs, working on herself in unison with Natsu's thrusts.

"Good," he grunted, then grabbed her hips to shift her body to the wall, away from the shower head. "Place your hands on the wall," he instructed, watching her right hand reluctantly leave her core in favor of doing as she was told. "Now spread your legs."

She did, and his cock surged by how submissive she was. He could have a lot of fun with her, though sometimes he'd like it if she was disobedient or even dominant. He loved how powerful she was when they were growing up, so he could only imagine how that would affect her in bed.

Natsu rubbed his cock against her opening, getting it wet with her arousal since they were no longer under the shower's stream. He gripped her hips, jutting them out so she was at an angle. Slowly, he slipped himself in.

Once inside, he couldn't help himself from thrusting in and out of her core. She still felt incredible, so much so that his knees shook from the pleasure coursing through his veins. Last night he'd been inebriated, so lasting long wasn't an issue. Now, he didn't know if he could hold back.

Lucy's face was turned to the side, so he leaned in to give her an awkward kiss. He sucked on her bottom lip, scraping it a little with his teeth. As much as he wanted to go nice and easy, there was something about Lucy that made him want to ravish her.

He snapped his hips, causing her to whimper. "Natsu!" Her inner walls clamped around him, but it was just a reaction, she wasn't done yet, and neither was he.

One of Natsu's hands came up, cupping Lucy's hand that was on the wall, then intertwined his fingers with hers. He wanted to feel all of her, every single inch. She was amazing, she sounded fantastic, and his mind almost melted from the erotic sensations alone.

Never in a million years did he ever think he'd get the chance to have her, let alone twice in a row! He picked up the pace, grunting and groaning with every thrust. The kiss was heated, even if it strained their necks.

Natsu felt that familiar heat pooling in his lower body. The coil in his stomach was about to snap, but he couldn't come undone this quickly. He wanted a little more. "I. Love. You. Lucy!" He growled every time his cock entered her tightness. Even after loosening her up last night, she recovered quickly. She felt amazing, almost too amazing!

Knowing he might come soon, one of his hands wrapped around her, seeking out her clit. The moment he found it, he mercilessly rubbed the engorged nub. Lucy's body jerked, but she kept moaning, "yes, yes Nat- _Naaaaaa-ahhhh_ , _ohhh_ , right there, _ngghh!_ "

He wasn't able to kiss her while she moaned so much, so he listened and enjoyed the satisfying sounds she made. He was sure to get a noise complaint, but he didn't give a shit. At the same time that he surged forward, Lucy fell back, making him hit deeper into her gushing core. He'd never felt a woman get so wet before, and he loved every second of it.

He rubbed her clit so vigorously, he was worried he might hurt her, but she never told him to stop. He felt her pussy quiver, nearing its end. "Fuck Luce! I don't think I can last much longer," he rammed into her harder, faster, loving the way her tits bounced with every rough thrust. He wanted to make her tumble over the edge first, so his hand on her hand dropped so he could pinch her nipple at the same time his teeth sunk into her shoulder.

" _Naaatsuuuu_ ," that was what it took to make her climax.

Her pussy wrapped tightly around his cock, giving him the satisfaction of making her come first. He wasn't far behind, panting out hot breaths as he drove his cock deeper into her warmth. "Lucy, _Lucy,_ _LUCY!_ " He called out her name with every thrust until he couldn't hold out anymore.

"Ghaaaaahhh," he growled as his cock spurt his hot seed into her body. Once again, he filled her up, loving every single tingle and jolt that took over his body afterwards. Every nerve was set on fire, but it was welcomed. Nothing could compare to this blissful heat.

He stayed inside her for a few extra seconds, making sure he emptied everything into her pussy. She was still shaking, so he wrapped both arms under her chest to keep her up.

Once he softened, he pulled out of her body. Lucy barely had time to recover before he was showering her with kisses. His lips touched everywhere he could reach, her shoulders, her neck, the side of her face. One kiss landed in her hair, but that caused him to jerk away. She hadn't had a chance to wash out the conditioner, leaving him with a bad taste in his mouth.

Lucy let out a tired giggle as he gargled some of the running water. Then she shrieked when he playfully squirted it at her, from his mouth! That seemed to give her enough strength to stand on her own.

The two laughed, hugged, then kissed. He never wanted to let her go, but sadly their shower had to end eventually.

Natsu stepped out first, feeling weary and drained. He had to walk across the hall to his closet to fetch two towels, not caring that his dick swung with every step. When he returned, Lucy was stepping out as well.

He handed her a nice fluffy white towel, then proceeded to dry himself. Once he was done, he glanced over at the blonde. She was brushing her hair with his comb, but he didn't mind. He enjoyed seeing her this comfortable around him. It pleased his aching heart.

When Lucy finished, she wrapped the towel around her body, then left briefly to grab her toothbrush. "May I?" She asked when she got back, holding up his toothpaste.

"Go ahead," he said with a smile. His body still felt blissful after the orgasm, even if it caused him to be a little sleepy. "I have to stop by the store across the street to get some medication for the trip. And probably some energy drinks too."

"Ohfay," Lucy mumbled with a toothbrush in her mouth. "I boph shacks."

"Huh?" Natsu rose a pink brow. As amusing as it was to listen to her try to talk, he couldn't understand her.

The blonde spit out a wad of foamy toothpaste. "I said I bought snacks. They're in one of the bags in the kitchen. I bought two of your favorite energy drinks... And those hot sauce flavored sunflower seeds you used to eat."

The pink haired man was stunned for a second. She was so sure he was coming with her to Crocus before she even asked. She placed that much trust and faith in him. He couldn't help but hug her, even if she was now brushing her teeth again.

"I love you, you're so amazing Luce. I want you to know that."

The blonde smiled with the toothbrush hanging out of her mouth. "I luph you tooph."

He just chucked, then kissed the middle of her exposed back. "Did you happen to buy any underwear on your little shopping trip?"

Lucy flushed, avoiding his gaze in the mirror. She nodded, feeling herself get embarrassed over the topic.

"Good," he smirked as he glanced down at her jeans. "I see you also borrowed a pair of my boxers."

Her eyes widened, mortified that she'd been caught. Her own panties had been so dirty after everything last night, that she couldn't bear to put them back on when she woke up. She was hoping she could get away with it, and wash the borrowed underwear before he found out.

"It's okay," he laughed, easing her tension. "I'd love to have you model them for me some day." With that, he left the sputtering girl alone in the bathroom to finish getting ready.

Lucy heard Natsu yelling from the other side of his apartment. "I'm gonna get changed and grab those pills. I'll be back really soon... Don't leave, okay?" The last part was strained, and she could imagine that it was an honest concern for him.

She spit out the liquid in her mouth, then yelled back, "I'll be here! I promise!"

"Awesome! I'm all fired up now!"

Not long after that, Lucy heard the front door close, and she sighed. This was just the beginning of the rest of their lives together. It was both thrilling, and scary. She just hoped she was everything Natsu wanted, because right now she still felt undesirable.

Lucy had a hunch that just like her urge to cut, this feeling wouldn't just go away on its own.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOOT! This is so far the LONGEST chapter I've written for any of my stories! I'm so excited! Sorry it took so long to get this chapter out. I was tempted to cut it in half like I usually do, but I resisted the urge this time! Over 8,000 words? This took a lot out of me! Did you like how I threw another lemon in there? :P Okay, I'll stop rambling.  
> Thank you for all the support! I appreciate every hit/kudo/comment! Thank you Miraculous_kid for saying something!  
> Remember! I always accept constructive criticism! Grammar/Spelling/Am I saying a word too much? I want to improve, so let me know how I can do that! Or if you have an opinion on the chapter, let me know too! I love to hear from you!  
> Up next, Chapter Ten: Road trip.


	10. Road Trip

**Chapter Ten: Road trip**

"Are we there yet?"

"Don't you start that again," Lucy giggled, eyes staying on the road. They were about six hours into their road trip, and Natsu had exhausted that lame joke until it was now funny again. "We still have..." She checked the GPS on her phone, "a little over eighteen hours left."

"Damn it!" Natsu groaned. Even on medication, his motion sickness was still acting up every once in a while. "I knew I should've taken more pills." Despite saying that, he was glad he didn't over do it. The medication made him anxious. He didn't like being on edge this much.

"The bottle said two pills every twelve hours, so that's what you're taking," she lightly scolded, a smile still on her face. "Now, where were you again?"

"Oh yeah," Natsu laughed, "so I'm having dinner at Gray's house one night, seems normal enough..." He didn't mention that he was fighting the urge to get drunk the entire dinner since he had an especially bad day at work. Gray insisted that he come hang out with them for the evening, leaving him without his precious alcohol.

"-Until out of nowhere, Juvia's water broke! You should've seen it! It looked like she pissed herself. I couldn't stop laughing! Gray started freakin' out. Juvia's trying to tell him to get the overnight bag, and he's too busy running around the house to ask where it is. He stripped down to just his socks, horrible image if you ask me," he cringed. "Then I had to slap him to make him shut up 'cause he was yelling that he couldn't find the damn bag. Turns out it was already by the front door."

"And that was their first kid?" Lucy asked, her heart clenching at the subject. It made Natsu smile, so she could put up with a little emotional pain if it meant he stayed happy and distracted from the road.

"Yeah. After that he got a lot better. When Juvia went into labor this last time, he just walked her to the car and drove her and their son to the hospital. Or at least that's what he says. I wasn't there for that time," the pink haired man leaned back in his seat. The new position made his head spin, so he quickly shifted the seat to its original position.

"Well I'm glad they're together. I know she was love-struck over him for years," Lucy's smile faded just a bit. "I wish I was around to see it."

Natsu sensed her sadness, dropping a hand on her thigh. "You're here now." Then he rolled his eyes up, thought about it, then gave a sheepish grin. "Well, you're not technically there... but close enough."

"Close enough," she repeated to herself. "So how's your family doing? You've been talking about our friends this whole time, but you haven't mentioned them once."

"I haven't?" Natsu cocked his head. "Hmm, I guess they're doing the same as ever. Zeref and Mavis were engaged when we were in high school, but they're married now. No kids, but my mom keeps hinting at it every time we all get together."

Natsu laughed, "I can't even imagine Mavis pregnant. She's so short, her belly would probably-" He turned to look at Lucy, then flinched when he saw her eyes. "-Why're you crying?"

"No reason," Lucy sniffled, trying to keep the tears from spilling, but it was too late. Her cheeks were red and wet. "Finish you're story. Her b- her b-belly w-would-" More tears flooded her eyes. She blinked quickly, trying to get them free. Her vision blurred, so she slowed down the vehicle to compensate. The last thing she wanted was to get in a wreck.

He panicked. _'Why is she so sad? All I did was talk about-'_ Green eyes widened. "I'm so sorry, Lucy. I forgot, I'm an idiot!"

She laughed, but it sounded strained and airy. "I'm fine, really," she wiped away the tears, but more were already forming.

"No you're not," Natsu corrected softly. "Pull over, please."

She nodded, but said nothing else. Instead of pulling off to the side of the road, she spotted a fuel sign for the next exit. Driving a quarter of a mile more, she exited the highway, making her way to the nearest gas station.

Once she parked the car and turned it off, she started sobbing. Her eyes closed, tears overflowing as she choked on her own saliva. She barely heard the sound of a seat belt clicking, followed by the sensation of warm arms around her.

"I'm sorry I said anything," Natsu's comforting voice reached her ears, but it was almost drowned out by the sound of her crying. "I'll be more careful from now on. I'm really sorry." He was leaning out of his seat, wrapping her in a tight hug.

He felt like the world's biggest asshole. He forgot that Lucy was heartbroken over not having children, and here he was laughing and joking about pregnant bellies. Not to mention talking about Gray and Juvia's first time dealing with her water breaking! "Please forgive me..."

"I'm... not mad, Natsu," she choked out. "I know you... d-didn't mean to h-hurt me," she spoke through sniffling. "I just need a minute."

"Take all the time you need," Natsu's hold on her never faltered. "I can drive if you want. Let you take a break?"

She nodded, "I think I'll take... you up on that offer." A smile crept on her face despite her inner turmoil. Usually she was great at keeping herself composed when the subject of babies or pregnancy came up, but around Natsu... She just felt so vulnerable... Like it was okay to let it out.

After a few more minutes, Lucy's tears finally stopped. She still sniffled, but it was a lot more manageable. The two broke apart slowly. Natsu returned to his seat, while Lucy wiped her eyes on her shirt's sleeve. Well, it was technically Natsu's shirt, but he didn't mind letting her borrow it.

When Lucy had calmed down, she sighed. "Well, while we're here, do you want to get something to eat?"

"Yosh!" Natsu smiled, glad to see Lucy in a better mood. He couldn't say she looked happy, but it was an improvement after all that crying.

"I'll put some gas in the car while you get us something? Maybe a sandwich?" Lucy asked, twisting her body to grab her purse from the backseat.

The pink haired man's face fell. "You're umm... Not gonna take off, right?" He let out a laugh that was meant to sound joking, but it came out as a pathetic whimper.

Lucy parted her lips, then pulled back to the front with her purse in hand. "I wouldn't do that," though she understood why he might be doubtful. "Here," she fished through her purse and handed him her driver's license. "I can't really go anywhere without that, right?"

Natsu stared down at the plastic card, then dropped it back in her purse. "You don't need to give me insurance. Just... Just don't leave." He didn't want to say, _"anyone can drive without a license as long as they don't get caught,"_ but he kept that to himself.

Trust was something they had to work on... build. The only way that would happen is if they took a leap of faith.

"I'll be right back," Natsu said as he leaned in to give Lucy a quick kiss to the cheek. She didn't flinch away from his touch, so that was a relief. He left her rental car to go to the gas station.

Inside, he found the section selling premade food. He really didn't know what Lucy would want, so he stuck with a turkey sandwich. For himself he got one with spicy roast beef with pepper jack cheese, hoping the taste would bring him some comfort. This road trip wasn't exactly going that great.

Lucy was quiet most of the time while Natsu rambled on and on about their friends. He was afraid to ask her any personal questions, not wanting her to react badly. Making her cry was definitely the worst part so far though, but he hoped it would stay that way. Time and trust were the only things that would mend their relationship.

 _'Are we in a relationship?'_ Natsu asked himself as he went to the back coolers to grab some drinks. _'We're having sex, and we love each other, but are we 'together'?... I hope so...'_

He didn't know if it was a question that should be asked yet. Lucy was still legally married, even though she filed for divorce. _'Did she really file?'_ Natsu shook his head. _'Of course she did. Why would she lie about something like that?'_ Worries flooded in, causing him discomfort in his heart. He didn't want to give in to the temptation of doubt, but it was the easier path.

Natsu walked past the sodas and went straight to the beers as if on instinct. He didn't like drinking beer, but a place like this didn't sell liquor. His eyes flitted from six-packs to tall boys. The chances of him buying a single can of beer, bringing it to the bathroom and chugging it all at once was high. He could get that small comfort, even if it wouldn't give him a nice buzz. 'Lucy never has to know.'

Just before his hand could grab the handle, someone else's hand got in the way, ripping the door open to fetch a six-pack. Natsu recoiled back, then stared up at the trucker who picked up the booze, smiled down at him, then left to go pay.

The pink haired man nearly dropped the sandwiches as his hand flew over his heart. It was pounding like a drum, sweat already forming all over his body. _'What the fuck is wrong with me? How could I think that was a good idea?'_

Natsu mentally berated himself as he walked to the soda section. He grabbed two energy drinks for him and Lucy, then went to the counter to pay. On the way there he couldn't help but think, _'is it even possible for me to get better?'_ He didn't have a chance to think about it much before he reached the front of the store. Imagine his surprise when the very blonde he was worried about was standing in line in front of him.

"Hey," he whispered, causing her to jerk away.

Lucy turned around, eyes wide before they relaxed when she recognized that the voice belonged to Natsu. "Hey..."

"Everything okay?" He looked out the large windows of the gas station, seeing her car at one of the pumps.

"Yeah," Lucy nodded, a light blush forming on her face. She glanced down, showing him her phone. "I was about to call my father."

"In line?" He raised a pink brow at her.

"Well... This is embarrassing..." Lucy's face burned brighter as her blush spread to her neck. "I'm going to ask him to... wire me some money."

"Why?"

"Turns out I don't have enough for gas. I didn't think about it very much..." Her eyes drifted to the floor. "I didn't think I was going back to Crocus so soon." Lucy lifted the phone up and began navigating to her father's contact information.

"Here," Natsu gently grabbed her wrist and tugged, signally for her to follow him. She went without question, walking with him to the back of the store. "I figured it'd be better to talk in private..."

"About what?" She asked, thumb hovering over the call button on her phone.

"You don't need to call your father. I can pay for gas, and anything else you might need," Natsu beamed down at her, hoping she would accept. The scar on his cheek stretched along with his lips.

"I can't make you do that-"

"You're not. I _want_ to help." He took a step closer, placing a hand on her warm cheek. "I want to take care of you... if you'll let me."

Tears welled up in her eyes again. "Natsu..."

"Hey, don't cry," his thumb came up to carefully brush away a stray tear. "I'm just tryin' to help."

"Thank you," Lucy gave him a broken smile. "I appreciate it. You can help me, but only if you let me take care of you too."

"Deal," Natsu leaned in, sealing the deal with a sweet kiss. It was only interrupted by the growling of his stomach. He pulled back, a sheepish smile on his face. "We should get going. I'm pretty hungry."

"Sounds good... Thanks again."

Lucy followed Natsu as they made their way to the counter. The pink haired man paid for the food, drinks, and her gas. The duo pulled back into a parking space to eat their food, then they were back on the road with Natsu as the driver.

Tension was still in the air, but it slowly drifted away as they conquered the road. To counteract the silence, Natsu turned on the radio and began singing, even though he was off key most of the time. Lucy giggled and sang along with him, though she was a little more reserved, keeping her voice lower.

After about thirty minutes of singing, Natsu's motion sickness started flaring up again. He had to drive a little slower, but other than that he was fine. His stomach cramped while his mouth watered like it always did right before he puked.

Chugging an energy drink only helped to increase the anxious feeling he'd had since this trip first began. Luckily for him, it only lasted ten or so minutes, then he felt better.

"So," Lucy spoke after a few minutes of silence. "Can I ask you a personal question?"

"Go ahead," Natsu kept his eyes on the road despite wanting to see her face. He was a little apprehensive, but his curiosity got the better of him. He turned the radio off to allow her to speak freely.

"What all have you done... sexually?"

Natsu raised a brow. He hadn't expected her to get _that_ personal, but he didn't mind answering the question. "Pretty much everything. Make out, fingering, handjobs, blowjobs, eating out, and sex. You?"

"Same... now..."

Natsu blinked in surprise. "What do you mean now?"

"Before last night, I never had someone _eat me_..." Lucy clarified, "you're the first one."

Blood rushed south. Natsu felt his cock stir in his pants. _'I was the first to taste her?!'_ He almost couldn't believe it, but he wanted to badly, so he did. "Really?"

"Yeah," she felt warmth spread over her cheeks. She was quiet for another few seconds before asking, "how many girls have you been with?"

Natsu was unsure if it was his motion sickness acting up again, or if his stomach was twisting from the question. He wanted to be honest with her, but he knew she wouldn't like his answer. No woman would.

"Depends on what you mean..." He breathed, "are you talking about relationships, or sex?"

He heard her intake a sharp breath before mumbling, "both."

"Umm," the pink haired male really didn't like where this conversation was heading, but he figured it would be brought up eventually. He just hoped it was later rather than sooner. "I've had..." He started counting in his head, "nine girlfriends since you left." He didn't mean to sound so bitter at the end, but it couldn't be helped. He was still peeved that she left, even if he accepted it as her only option to help her mother.

"What about sex?" Lucy's voice was meek. If it weren't for his great hearing, he wouldn't have heard her at all.

"... I..." Natsu cringed as he realized the truth. "I don't know."

"How do you not know?" It was meant as an innocent question, but Natsu took offense.

"Because I wasn't keeping track!" He snapped, glaring at the highway as if it were responsible for his inability to 'keep it in his pants'. He couldn't count how many random hookups he'd had over the years. They didn't mean anything, but that didn't mean they didn't exist. He regretted every single one, but there was nothing he could do now. What's done is done.

He glanced over for a second, seeing Lucy's body shifting further away from him and towards her door. _'Great! Now I scared her!'_ Natsu bit his inner cheek, trying to think of something to say.

"I'm sorry," Lucy mumbled at the window. "I shouldn't have asked..."

"No," he shook his head, feeling like a bigger dick than before. "I shouldn't have yelled. Please don't apologize. You were just curious," his blood still pumped hot in his veins, reminding him that his anger was still rising.

"Honestly... I don't know how many girls I slept with. I didn't have sex with my earlier girlfriends, but I also had a lot of one night stands. I wasn't counting, so I don't have a specific number. It's more than ten, but probably not higher than twenty."

The car was silent for a while after that. Natsu paid attention to the road, hands tight around the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white. He didn't want to blame Lucy for the way he turned out, but it was a natural reaction. It was easier to blame someone else than to take responsibility for his actions.

The way he saw it for a long time was if he wasn't so hung up on her, he might have lived a normal life. It wasn't fair to be mad at her though, and he knew that. He wondered briefly if he needed to add some anger management classes to his life. Maybe AA alone wouldn't cut it. He still held on to a lot of bottled up anger.

"Can I ask you more questions?" Lucy finally spoke after about ten minutes.

Natsu was a little more reluctant when he said, "go for it." He wanted to be honest with her, but it was tough. He wished they could just ease into these types of questions instead of nose diving into the sensitive topic.

"What was your longest relationship?"

He sighed. "A few months..."

"That's the longest?" She sounded surprised.

"Yeah. Turns out I'm not very good at being a boyfriend," he admitted.

More silence passed before Lucy asked, "have you ever been in love?"

Natsu didn't hesitate to look over at her. "Only with you, Luce."

Her brown eyes widened, lips parting. "S-same... I've only loved you too."

Natsu felt a small smile form as he turned his head back to the road. It was nice to hear that he was Lucy's only love. Even if she was away from him for years, he still held her heart, and vise versa.

"I have a... weird question..."

The pink haired man couldn't help but smirk. "So you're saying the other questions weren't weird?"

Lucy bit back a smile. "I guess not." After she realized Natsu wasn't going to say anything else, she asked, "... what's the... craziest thing you've done with a woman..."

"Hmmm..." Natsu didn't have to think hard on that one. All of his sexual relations happened in either his apartment, or whoever's house he was sleeping with at the time, except one. He shifted in his seat, uncomfortable from being in a sitting position for so many hours. His legs were stiff and his back ached. The highway was practically dead, they were the only car on the road.

"One time I got pretty drunk..." Natsu almost snorted. How many of his stories started out that way? He really did need help with his problem. "... and this girl came onto me at Fairy Tail..."

He saw the way Lucy jolted at the mention of the bar. She wanted to know the truth, so he was going to tell her. "We ended up having sex in the male's restroom." Lucy cringed, and he could only guess she was imagining how unsanitary that was. He wouldn't deny it. It was an especially low point in his life. He didn't even get her name. He was just glad he wore the condom he brought with him that night, just in case.

"That was the craziest though. None others came close..." He took a hand off the wheel to grab his energy drink. After confessing that, he felt like he needed something to sooth him. Unfortunately the caffeinated drink did nothing but burn his throat.

He opened his mouth to ask, _"what about you? What's the craziest sex you've had?"_ He decided against it. Lucy didn't have 'sex' with her husband, she was raped. Honestly he didn't want to hear about their sex life anyway. It would only piss him off. Still, one thing bugged him about what she said earlier.

Instead of asking her the same question she asked him, he rephrased it. "What have you _not_ done... sexually?"

Her head jerked over to him in an instant. Clearly she wasn't expecting him to have his own questions, but it'd be rude to not answer since he answered all of hers. "Well, until last night, I've never had someone go down on me, but you already knew that. I'd like to think that my first... b-blowjob was last night too..."

Lucy felt conflicted about that. She was forced a few times to 'perform' on her husband, but she purposely made them horrible to discourage him from trying again. She guessed he could only handle so much teeth before giving up on the whole idea. Last night felt like her first legitimate blowjob. She was willing, she actually put in the effort, and she felt better about herself when it was over. She also didn't feel like Natsu was judging her the entire time.

"Then last night was your first blowjob," Natsu declared firmly, as if that made it fact. He didn't want to ask what she meant by the way she said it, so he didn't. He had a decent idea on what she implied. "I'm glad I was able to give you two firsts."

He smiled, but it went away when Lucy said, "I wish I could give you a first..."

The pink haired man sighed. He knew it was unfair to wish, but he did too. He'd give anything to have Lucy as one of his firsts. Sometimes life wasn't fair, and he had to accept that.

_'Unless...'_

Natsu's face flushed a bright red. Keeping his face forward, his eyes flitted to the side, seeing if Lucy was looking at him. She wore a sad smile, her eyes glossy as she stared out the front window. There was one thing off though, and it was the attention she gave her wrist. A fingernail kept scratching at the scored skin, causing Natsu some irritation. "Please stop that, Luce." He spoke as gently as he could, but it was a struggle not to yank her hand away from her wrist by force.

The blonde woman glanced over to Natsu, then to her hands. A surprised expression crossed her face. She didn't even realize she zoned out again, reliving one of her horrible memories. Obeying his wishes, she put her hands on her lap, neither touching the other. "Sorry... Didn't know I was doing it."

Natsu let out a long sigh. Under his breath, he muttered, "it looks like we both have issues..."

He glanced at her phone propped up by the gear shift. Her GPS was on again, letting them know they had a little under seventeen hours to go. _'This is gonna take forever...'_

Natsu remained silent for a while. Before he knew it, thirty minutes passed. He hoped the entire trip went by quickly, but that wasn't realistic. His mind started wandering again. It was the best way to pass the time. It went from simple things like if Gray would remember to feed Happy, or if he would be able to make it to his AA meeting on time Sunday.

The longer he stayed in his own mind, the more intense his thoughts became. Soon he was remembering the nice, hot shower he took this morning with Lucy. He'd never had shower sex before, so it was a real treat. _'Does that count as a first?'_ Maybe... He didn't know.

An earlier thought crossed his mind. The familiar blush coated his face, warming it up. _'Should I even ask her that? No... No way! She'd think I'm a freak for even bringing it up! Still... I really wanna know... Damn it!'_

"Hey Luce..."

She grinned. "No Natsu, we're not there yet."

Natsu turned to look at her, seeing the coy smile on her face. He loved when she smiled. She was already beautiful, but like this, she looked radiant. "Actually, I was going to ask you one of those personal questions... But umm, this one's kinda out there."

"Oh?" She cocked her head. "How so?"

The pink haired man turned his attention back to the road. There were still no cars around them, making the highway look endless. "Have you ever... well..." He gulped, unsure if he should really ask. "Have you ever done... anal?"

He had to force himself not to slam his eyes shut. If he wasn't driving a car right now he'd do it in a heartbeat. He anticipated some embarrassment, but not to the point of his ears burning. He wanted to steal a glance at Lucy, but his eyes stayed ahead.

_'She's not saying anything...'_

His chest constricted, throat drying out. He wanted to reach for his drink to sooth him, but he was terrified of making any sudden movements. He had no idea if he crossed a line, but he really didn't want to back out now. He desperately wanted that answer.

Finally, after what felt like hours but was only minutes, she said, "I haven't."

Natsu stole a quick glance at Lucy through his peripherals. Her face was just as red as his, if not worse. Her teeth sunk into her bottom lip as she brought a hand up to push a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. When he looked back at the road, he muttered loud enough for her to hear, "me neither..."

More silence filled the car. Natsu was tempted to turn on the radio to kill the awkwardness, but his hands stayed on the wheel. Once again, he got it in his mind that any wrong move would startle her.

"Do you want..." Lucy started, causing him to tense. "...to try that... with me?"

Natsu sucked in a sharp breath that he was sure Lucy heard. Was that an invitation? Was it a test? He didn't know if he should be honest and say 'hell yes!' or play it cool and nonchalantly say 'I'd be interested in that'.

He didn't realize he was clenching his teeth until he went to open his mouth. His throat felt like a desert, making his voice crack. "y-yeah..." The pink haired man mentally cursed at himself for stuttering at a time like this! "That would be gr-great." He paled. _'Now I sound like Tony the fucking Tiger!'_

Mortified, he began to sweat. This was a subject he hadn't had before with a woman. Sure he heard guys at work joke about anal, but he'd never imagined he'd actually want to try it. However, the thought of burying his thick cock into her ass made him flush a brighter red. He gulped again, but there was a lump in his throat preventing him from swallowing. He felt a throb coming from his groin. When he glanced down, he saw the bulge in his pants.

_'And now I'm fucking hard, while driving across Fiore to bring Lucy back to Crocus. Great! Fucking great!'_

He shifted in his seat, trying to relieve the newest discomfort. It caused him to accidentally press a little harder on the gas, but no harm was done since they were still the only car on the road. He was a little surprised since it was Saturday. He thought there'd be at least one other vehicle.

His erection grew harder by the second. All he could think about was bending Lucy over and taking her ass virginity. He heard anal was a lot tighter than vaginal, and he could understand why. If her pussy was tight, he could only imagine how her ass would feel. Despite never participating in the act, he had watched some porn demonstrating it. Of course he knew porn was a little exaggerated, but now it got him curious if that was a possibility for them. It could be a first for both of them.

Without realizing it, Natsu dropped a hand down to his lap. His thumb stroked over the bulge, but other than that he stayed still. He waited for a reply from the blonde, but she hadn't said anything for the past few minutes.

While Lucy thought it over, Natsu's hand started getting more active. His fingers curled over the hidden length, making a grabbing motion but not enough to grip himself. It was more like light teasing. Only when he felt the urge to buck up did he realize what he was doing.

His hand quickly returned to the steering wheel. He had no idea what possessed him to touch himself just then. He'd been hard many times before in public, but never had he once reacted like that. Sure this wasn't 'public', but it was still with another person around. He felt almost ashamed, but that feeling was outweighed by the urge to touch himself again.

_'Damn it! What the hell is wrong with me!'_

Lucy finally spoke. "I want to try it."

Natsu flinched. Despite knowing Lucy was in the car with him, he had grown used to her silence. Glancing over at her, he saw her looking up at him through hooded eyes. "I want to try that with you."

Natsu could barely breathe. "You do?"

"Yeah," she slowly nodded, her teeth biting at her lip again. "Maybe sometime soon?"

_'SOON!'_

Natsu had to jerk the wheel to stay on the road. He had lost all brain activity for a few seconds, causing the car to veer towards the shoulder. "My bad," he nervously laughed with a sheepish grin. "But umm, yeah. I'd like to do it soon too. If you're sure."

"I think I am..." Lucy swallowed. "I'm still thinking it over, but I don't see why not. As long as you don't, well... look at me differently afterwards."

Natsu's lips twitched into a real smile. "I wouldn't." That he could promise with certainty. Out of all the things people were judged for, he felt like sexual preferences shouldn't be one of them. If it was legal, consensual, and both partners enjoyed it, then there was no reason to cast judgement or look down on someone.

"Want me to take care of that?" Lucy asked, gaining his attention once again.

"Hmm?" The pink haired man glanced over, gazing at her face. It took him a few seconds to realize she wasn't looking at his eyes. He followed the direction of her vision until his face dropped to his lap where his hand was once again touching himself. "Damn it..." He muttered as his hand went back to the steering wheel. _'Why the fuck am I acting like a horny teenager? A weird one at that...'_

"So do you," Lucy asked again, this time bringing her hand up to gently rest it over the lump in his pants.

Natsu's mouth fell open. He gave Lucy an incredulous look, but she appeared dead serious. "While I'm _driving?_ "

Her fingers curled around his length and gave him a light squeeze. Her only answer was a nod paired with a shy smile. Natsu was nervous as hell when he choked out, "o-okay... Umm, I've never done that before..."

Natsu's eyes flitted from the road to Lucy, then back to the road. He knew he had to pay attention to his driving, but he desperately wanted to see what he was feeling. He felt her fingers fumble with his jeans button until it popped open. The zipper went down slowly, then he gasped when he felt her hand weave through the hole in the front of his boxers, grabbing his stiff cock.

Natsu felt the air touch his sensitive skin when his manhood emerged through his boxer flap. "Oh wow," he heard Lucy gasp. He stole a quick glance down, his face burning hotter at the sight. His erection pulsed in her hand, dripping with pre-cum that already slid down his shaft. "You're really worked up," she commented.

"Well what do you expect after saying I can fuck your ass," Natsu pressed the AC button, hoping the cool air could calm him down. His skin felt feverish, but he didn't know if it was due to him being nervous or if his motion sickness was acting up again.

Lucy flushed from hearing his vulgar choice of words. It wasn't that she didn't like it. In fact it was quite the opposite. She didn't know how him talking dirty to her made her heart race, but it did. She guessed that maybe she liked this crudeness, as long as it was from Natsu's rough voice.

A delicate hand began to stroke him slowly. All he could do was shiver at her touches as he tried to stare ahead. His eyes stole a peek quickly to see her spit in the palm of her hand. He looked back at the road, but it blurred for a moment when he felt her wet fingers slide up and down his length again.

"That feels pretty good," he moaned, swallowing hard as he blinked at the road.

He felt her pumping his thick cock with a tighter grip. Every time she rubbed over the tip he gasped. She picked up the pace, slick wet sounds accompanied her ministrations. Being in a car limited his natural responses. It was difficult to buck into her hand, but he tried anyway.

The car sped up due to him pressing the gas pedal again, so he had to stop moving. It was torture having to pay attention to the road but feeling her hand on his manhood. All he could do was hold onto the steering wheel with a death grip. He couldn't even throw his head back like he desperately wanted to.

Suddenly the sound of a seat belt clicking caught his attention. Natsu's eyes flitted over to Lucy, seeing her struggle to simultaneously stroke him while she reattached her seat belt behind her. Once she managed to secure the safety device, she looked up at him. A smirk formed on her plump lips.

Natsu's cock throbbed at the sight of the seductive blonde.

She scooted closer to him until she was barely in her own seat. Holding his cock firmly, Lucy's head began to lower. Natsu hissed in pleasure when he felt something hot and wet run down his shaft. He tried looking down, but he could only see her silky blonde hair.

It was risky, but Natsu let one of his hands rest on her head while the other held the steering wheel. Glancing in the rear view mirror, he saw a few vehicles behind them, but the distance was great enough to not cause panic.

"Oh _yes!_ " Natsu grunted when his cock was sheathed by Lucy's wet mouth. Her hot tongue lapped around the underside of his member while her hand clutched at his thigh. Natsu use every ounce of strength he had to keep his eyes trained on the road. "You really are a naughty girl, _nnggh!_ Yes, just like that!"

She twisted her mouth around his shaft, the heat she surrounded him with nearly drove him insane. She came up, her tongue licking against his tip and over the slit, collecting more salty pre-cum. Then she filled her mouth with his length once again.

His concentration was slipping. The slurping sound she made didn't help matters, since it drowned out the low hum from the AC, making the car fill with her lewd noises. The cool air blowing from the vents only helped slightly, but the hairs at the nape of his neck were now sticking to his sweaty skin. "L-Lucy! _Fuck!_ " She sucked his cock like it was some type of decadent treat made just for her.

Natsu's warm hand pressed down on her head, his cock hitting the back of her throat. At this angle she couldn't take him in that tight passage, so she used her tongue to increase his pleasure. Swollen lips were stretched around his member, spit dripping from her mouth to coat his boxers in her saliva.

Natsu felt the wetness soak his underwear and reach his thighs, but he didn't care. Honestly it was the furthest thing from his mind right now. Her mouth felt way too good wrapped around his cock, bobbing up and down and sucking him for all he was worth.

Her breasts were pressed against their drinks in the center cup holders, but that didn't stop her from performing on him. She lightly moaned when his hand began to twitch on her head. She wanted him to touch her back, but it just wasn't plausible right now, so she settled for anything he could give her.

Callused fingers twisted in her hair. He felt the pressure building, the tale-tell signs that he was about to meet his end. His eyes tried to close but he forced them open, staring at the highway that slowly became one big blur.

Natsu had received a nice amount of blowjobs the last four years, but none could come close to how amazing this one felt. It was easily a hundred times better than anything he ever had before. He didn't know if it was the danger involved, the risk of not only endangering themselves, but also the chance of getting caught that made it feel so incredible! It was too much!

She was too much!

He tried to hold back longer, but his legs were already tensing. It would be any second. Natsu's body jerked as he grunted through clenched teeth. "Lucy! I'm gonna, _damn!_ It's c-"

His voice was drowned out by the sound of a loud, prolonged horn. Natsu's head twisted to find the source of the noise. How he didn't notice a huge semi-truck was now driving beside their car was beyond him. He cringed as he saw the smile of a random trucker as the man peered down at them, catching them in the act.

"Shit!" Natsu slammed on the breaks, causing the trucker to speed past them.

Lucy's hot mouth was still wrapped around his cock, but she wasn't moving. She was horrified from getting caught, but she knew she didn't want to show her face more, so she stayed still. Natsu quickly got in the slow lane once the semi-truck was out of the way. Glancing around, he saw that the other cars were nowhere near them.

He let out a sigh, then looked down. "We're clear. You don't have to finish if you d- _Ahhhh_ ," Natsu moaned when Lucy bobbed on his thick cock once again. She didn't go at an even pace like before. She sucked his member, thrusting herself on him as quickly as she could until her jaw hurt.

He didn't stand a chance.

" _Gaah, nnnghh_ ," Natsu's knuckles turned white from gripping the wheel so hard. Abdominal muscles contracted and released over and over again as his body went through the carnal bliss. He came, shooting his sperm straight into her throat. Lucy choked around his drenched cock, clearly caught off guard by his quick release.

She tried to swallow it all, but some dripped past her lips to land on his clothes. She brought her head up in a hurry, accidentally smacking Natsu's nose in the process. Granted, he shouldn't have been looking down when driving, but he wanted to see her face after what she just did. Now all he could think about was focusing on the road while his eyes filled with stinging tears from the pain.

"I'm so sorry!" Lucy cupped her hands over her mouth, face burning red for a different reason than before. She was pretty sure she ruined whatever after effects he might have felt from his orgasm, making her on the verge of tears as well. Not only that, her mouth and jaw were sore from servicing him.

"Don't worry about it," Natsu rubbed his nose with a laugh. "That's still the best blowjob I've ever had." It wasn't a lie. Despite the tremendous pain of getting hit in the nose, the rest of his body felt relatively great. He knew it had less to do with her skills and more to do with the fact that it was her mouth servicing him. "You really know how to use that mouth of yours."

Lucy didn't think it was possible to blush more, yet her face heated up and her pulse raced. "Thanks?" She let out an unsure laugh, wondering if she'd heard a stranger compliment in her life. She didn't think she had.

"Here," he brought his hand down, crinkling his nose to relieve the pressure. "Can you take the wheel while I..." His voice trailed off as he glanced down. His softened penis laid against his boxer's flap, soaked with saliva and cum.

"Yeah," Lucy's hand came over to assist him.

Once she had a grip on the steering wheel, he let go to take care of his messy situation. Mindful of the gas pedal, he carefully lifted himself up to pull his jeans up a bit. During the blowjob they had fallen down due to his wiggling. He put himself back in his underwear, then closed his jeans. "Thanks," Natsu smiled as he took the wheel from her. "For everything..."

"No problem," Lucy understood he wasn't just thanking her for the assistance. "I enjoyed it."

They shared a longing glance before looking separate ways, Natsu at the road and Lucy at her lap. They were silent for a few minutes, both grinning for the same reason. After a while, Natsu chuckled to himself.

"Hey Lucy?"

"Yeah, Natsu?"

"... Are we there yet?"

* * *

"Yes Natsu, we're here," Lucy smiled over at the sleepy pink haired man. He was curled up in the passenger seat, barely awake from his nap.

"Wait, seriously?" Natsu's eyes widened. He'd merely been joking when he asked the question again, not expecting her to say yes. "How long was I asleep?"

"I'd say about four hours."

"Four hours?" He rubbed his face in an attempt to rid himself of the last remnants of sleep. "It barely felt like five minutes." His other hand clutched his stomach, feeling his motion sickness kick in. He twisted in his seat until he could reach his backpack in the back floorboards where his medication was stored.

"You won't need that," Lucy informed as she turned down a street. It was then Natsu realized they were no longer on the highway. "My father's house is down this road."

"Oh." He guessed he could hold out long enough until they got there if they were this close to his house.

But house was an understatement.

The place Lucy pulled up to looked like a god damned mansion! He had to crane his neck just to see the roof. The blonde woman parked in the circled driveway, then shut off the engine.

Now that they stopped moving, Natsu finally got a good look at her. The lack of sleep she received showed up on her face. Dark circles lined the bottom of her eyes. Her smile was genuine, but it looked strained. Her eyelids drooped and her hair was a bit frizzy. He definitely believed she only got five hours of sleep while he drove earlier.

After Lucy gave him road head, they went back to singing to the radio, talking about what they saw while driving, and occasionally chatting about old times. It was a safer topic than the present or past few years. Natsu learned his lesson the first time. They had to ease into tougher conversations. It was almost like they were relearning little things about each other. However, at the end of the day they still had that undeniable bond that kept their friendship intact no matter what.

He wasn't going to give up that easily, or ever. He was determined to make this work out, because he honestly didn't know what he'd do without Lucy in his life now.

Natsu was the first to get out of the car, tempted to kiss the very ground he stood on. He resisted the urge, but barely. Lucy was more apprehensive about exiting the vehicle. With a sigh, Natsu walked over to her side of the car and opened the door. "Are you ready?"

"Can I say no?" Lucy stared at the steering wheel as if it could save her from this situation.

"You can..." The pink haired man started, "but I don't think it'll help."

"True," she let out a dry laugh. Finally, her brown eyes gazed up at him. "I haven't seen my dad in a while... I mean, I saw him at... at..." Tears lined her eyes.

Natsu placed a hand on her shoulder, "at your mom's funeral?"

She nodded with a watery smile. "Yeah, but we didn't talk much..." Lucy sniffled, then pushed some of her blonde hair behind her ear. "Sorry for crying again."

"Please don't apologize to me for that," his hand slightly gripped her, soft enough to let her know he cared. "If you feel like you need to cry, then cry." He knew better than most people that trying to hold in the tears only caused more heartache. "Do you want to wait a bit before we let your father know we're here?"

"No," Lucy wiped away the few stray tears that ran down her red cheeks. "I want to get this over with."

Natsu nodded, understanding what she meant. "I'll be right by your side the whole way." He held out a warm hand.

She took it with a firm grip, "thank you."

He only offered her a smile as he pulled her up and out of the car. He felt the urge to hug her, so he did. Her body lightly shook in his arms, and he could only imagine she was crying again. The wetness he felt seep through his shirt confirmed his suspicions.

Lucy felt so fragile in his strong arms. He knew she could easily be broken this way, physically and emotionally. He made it his duty to keep her away from anyone who wished her harm. He wouldn't let her go through another day of abuse again so long as he was still breathing. She meant too much to him, no matter how long they spent apart.

After a few more minutes, Lucy finally pulled away. Her tears dried against her cheeks, so she rubbed her face to clear it up. She shut the door, then they walked in silence towards her father's house. About halfway there, Lucy felt Natsu softly grab her hand. She wiggled her fingers a little, then intertwined them with his. He accepted the action without hesitation, warmth spreading through both of their hearts.

Feeling the slightest bit of confidence, she walked up the steps until they stood in front of the door. She took a deep breath before raising her free hand. Lucy knocked on the door, then took a step back. _'This is it. No turning back now.'_

She glanced up at Natsu, but his eyes were on the door. A glint of determination shined in his green orbs, letting her know she wasn't alone in this. Lucy would never feel alone ever again as long as he was around.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thank you for the support! The hits/kudos/comments are all appreciated. Shout out to those who said something: Asmith and Natsuu!
> 
> I apologize that this chapter was mostly dialogue, but let's face it... There's only so much you can do on a road trip. My longest road trip was twenty-four hours straight, and it mainly consisted of singing songs and chugging energy drinks. (Like Natsu and Lucy, I didn't have time to stop and sightsee along the way. Had to get where I was going in a hurry.)
> 
> Next chapter picks up a lot of drama. Enter Jude and Lucy's husband.  
> Up next, Chapter Eleven: I'm sorry.


	11. I'm sorry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Warning: Over 10,000 words. Violence and abuse mentioned in chapter.

**Chapter Eleven: I'm sorry**

The door to Jude's house swung open. A petite, pink haired maid bowed, "hello Princess, it's been a while."

Stunned from seeing Virgo's new appearance, Lucy was rendered speechless. Her mouth opened and closed a few times before she figured out what to say. However, before Lucy could greet the maid, Natsu spoke up. "What's up Burger? You look different. Did you lose some weight?"

"It's Virgo," the pink haired woman smiled as she straightened her body. "And yes, I did shed a few pounds."

"You're like a completely different person," Lucy gawked at the thin maid. The last time she saw Virgo was over a year ago, and she'd been much heavier then. The blonde shook her head before saying, "you look great though. Is my father home?"

"Ah, yes." Virgo nodded, then stepped aside to make room for the duo. "He's in the living room. He's been expecting you."

Lucy lead the way. Even though it'd been over a year since she last stepped foot in her father's house, she knew how to navigate through it. Natsu was close behind, looking up at the walls as they walked through the house. He'd never seen a place look more lavish, and wondered if this was the sort of place that Lucy lived in now.

"Lucy!" Jude said as soon as the young woman entered the living room. He engulfed her in a hug, but it lacked the warm fuzzy feelings people usually felt when hugging a parent.

"Hello father," his daughter said, keeping her tone flat. Despite their recent phone conversations, she still didn't consider their relationship ideal. Just like with her issues, things with her father wouldn't change over night.

The older man pulled away, looking her up and down to make sure she was alright. His eyes landed on a small mark on the crook of her neck, but it was obvious it wasn't a regular bruise. Jude's eyebrows knitted together as he glared over at Natsu. "Did you leave a hickey on my daughter?"

Natsu blinked in surprise. He hadn't noticed one on her earlier. He stepped to her side, then peered down at her neck. Sure enough, there was a small hickey on her pale skin. He met Lucy's eyes, seeing her shock as well. Without his voice wavering, he announced, "yes sir, I did."

Jude only stared at Natsu with a foul expression. It remained on his face until Lucy said, "I'd like to call the police now, and get it over with."

Both men looked over at Lucy, forgetting the tension between them in favor of making the blonde happy. Virgo popped up next to Lucy with a cellphone. "The number is already dialed Princess. It's the number for the non-emergency line."

"Th-thanks," she mumbled as she took the phone. All eyes were on her as she pressed the call button. The line rang once before someone answered the phone. Lucy flinched when she heard the greeting for the non-emergency line. After being asked what the call was about, she froze.

_"Hello?"_

Lucy's first instincts were to look for help. Her eyes landed from Virgo to Jude, then finally on Natsu. When she saw that determined look on his face, her resolve came back to her. "Yes, this is Lucy Heartfilia. I'd like to report my husband for physical abuse and r-" She gulped, still unable to say the word. However, she saw Natsu's subtle nod. She could do this. If not for her, then for future women he would come into contact with. "And rape."

_"Where are you located at right now? Is your husband there with you?"_

"He's not, and I'm at my father's house. The address is-"

Natsu watched as Lucy told her father's address to the person over the phone. He was proud she was taking this step to help herself. She couldn't get closure if she let her husband get away with everything he did to her. A few more minutes passed before she hung up the phone.

"They'll be here soon," she muttered as she handed Virgo the phone. "Thank you."

"Anything for you Princess. Do you want me to punish him?" The maid looked dead serious, already pulling out a small blade from her stockings.

Lucy stared at the sharp edge of the knife, subconsciously leaning towards it before she caught herself. "What are you doing carrying that?"

"For punishment," Virgo said as if it were obvious.

"I- I don't even know what to say," Lucy shook her head, then looked back at her father. "I'm going to get something to drink if that's alright with you."

"Nonsense," Jude held out a hand as if presenting Virgo. "Will you get her a glass of water?"

"Yes Master," the maid bowed, then walked away after tucking the knife back in her stockings.

The blonde wanted to protest, saying she could get it herself, but she didn't want to be rude. This was her father's house, he made the rules. It was like when she lived with her husband. His house, his rules.

Lucy looked up at Natsu, then frowned. _'Will he make me follow his rules too? Does he even have rules?'_

Natsu was unaware of her concerns. He felt better knowing Lucy would be getting help from the police. He put a gentle hand on her back and asked her if she'd like to sit before the cops arrived. She nodded, then let him escort her to the large couch.

Jude sat in an armchair across from the couch where Natsu and Lucy sat. He seemed to be glaring at the pink haired man, obviously not liking how close he sat to his daughter.

When Virgo came back with a glass of water, Natsu turned his attention to Jude. The years had not been kind to him. The wrinkles that were on his face and hands from four years ago deepened considerably. He wondered if it had to do with stress from his business or from his wife's diminishing health. He didn't comment on it, knowing it wasn't any of his business.

As they sat there in uncomfortable silence, Natsu wondered what Layla was like in her final days. He knew the woman when she was still standing. It wasn't long after he met her that she needed to be kept at the hospital for the foreseeable future. She never came home after that.

He remembered the day they transferred Layla to a hospital in Crocus, claiming the doctors would have more success with her there. He spent that whole night holding Lucy while she cried her eyes out on his chest.

He'd give anything to make her happy again, but she never smiled as bright after that day. He hoped in time she'd get better, but he couldn't blame her for being heartbroken. Layla was her best friend, her mom, a sweetheart. Lucy would always miss her, no matter what.

"So," Jude started, breaking the silence. "Have you given any thought to my offer?" His eyes were directed at Lucy, but she continued to stare at the glass of water in her hands.

"I have..."

"And?"

Natsu watched as she shifted in her seat. "I'd rather not. If I did, I'd have to stay in Crocus, and I don't want that."

"It would be good for you," Jude urged, eyes fixed on his daughter. "Good for your future..."

Lucy's eyebrows drew in. "I know... but..."

"But what?" The older man asked with a sense of urgency to his tone.

"What offer?" Natsu asked in anticipation, looking up from Lucy to peer at her father.

"None of your concern," Jude answered as soon as Lucy opened her mouth.

The pink haired man narrowed his eyes at the older man. He was two seconds away from opening his mouth and protesting before he heard Lucy's meek voice speak up. "It is his concern, father."

Now Jude's nose scrunched up as he stared at Natsu. "Is _he_ the reason you can't decide?"

Lucy finally looked up, surprised by her father's tone. "As a matter of fact, yes. I don't want to try to start up a new business with you because I don't want to be in Crocus. I want to be in Magnolia," she looked up at Natsu, seeing his confused expression. "...With Natsu."

"A boy is hardly worth-"

"I'm not a boy!" Natsu snarled, offended from the insult. He was twenty-two with a job and a place to live. He hadn't been a _boy_ for a long time.

Jude didn't say anything else to Natsu, instead looking back at his daughter. "Lucy, I think-"

"What were you going to say?" The blonde asked, setting the empty glass of water on the coffee table in front of them. "About Natsu. What were you going to say?"

"Lucy?" Natsu's voice came out as a whisper. _'Is she really considering what he's saying?'_

Jude took a deep breath before explaining, "a _boy_ is hardly worth moving away from you home for. You can have a better future out here with me. He can't provide for you the lifestyle you deserve."

Natsu's shoulders went slack. He glanced at Lucy's face, seeing a slight wrinkle in her forehead from her eyebrows darting in. Deciding he didn't want to hear more of this conversation, he started to stand up to walk away.

Before he could get up, he felt a soft hand on his wrist. Natsu looked down, seeing Lucy's wane smile as she looked up at him. "Please stay?"

Natsu wanted to say no. He wanted to protest, scream, lash out, but all he ended up doing was sitting back down like a whipped puppy. Truth was he didn't want to leave her side, even if he got berated in the process.

Lucy squared her shoulders, then looked up at her father. "If I remember correctly," she started, voice getting lower but stronger, "you had me move away from my home to be with a _boy_."

"That was different," Jude argued. "That was for-"

"For mom, I know," Lucy snapped. "But at the end of the day I left my home in Magnolia to move out to Crocus to marry an abusive _boy_ , because he certainly isn't a man as far as I'm concerned."

Natsu's eyes widened, surprised to hear that fire in her voice again. He hadn't heard her sound so confident in... well years. She sounded sure of herself as she continued. "I already decided I'm staying with Natsu. You don't have to like it, but you have to respect it."

Her hand came out, grabbing Natsu's hand. "You have to respect _him_."

Jude's mouth opened, stunned his daughter would speak to him like that. She'd been so quiet these past few years, so her new demeanor shocked him. Though, he supposed her quietness was due to the constant abuse she received from her husband... The man _he_ set her up with.

Jude waited a few minutes before muttering, "fine."

Natsu felt Lucy's hand tighten on his own. Judging from her father's tone, he was anything but fine with the arrangement. Natsu wondered what happened since the phone call he heard with Jude while they were still at the bar. Jude said Lucy would be safe with him, so why did he change his mind since then?

The pink haired man decided not to let it get to him. Lucy wanted him, and that was all that mattered. Before anymore words were exchanged, a knock came from the front door.

"I'll get it," Virgo announced, causing everyone to flinch. They'd forgotten the maid was standing off to the side of the room, observing the entire conversation.

Virgo left, only to return with two police officers. One was a woman with short, light blue hair. Under the light, it almost looked silver. Besides her stood a slightly taller male officer. He had spiky blond locks with a scar running down his eyebrow.

"Lucy Heartfilia?" The woman asked.

The blonde stood, letting go of Natsu's hand in the process. "That's me."

"This is Officer Sting Eucliffe," the female officer started, pointing at the male. "And I'm Officer Yukino Agria. Is there a private place we can talk?"

"Can't I do it out here?" Lucy didn't mean to let her fear slip into her voice, but it did. She panicked, not wanting to separate from Natsu.

The female officer pulled a camera from the bag on her hip, "we need to take some pictures," she glanced at the two males, then the maid. "It'd be better to do it in private."

"Oh... okay," Lucy nodded. She looked to her father. "May we use your study?"

"Use whatever room you want," her father nodded. He watched as Lucy walked out of the living room with the two officers behind her. When they were gone, Jude spoke up. "Virgo, leave us."

"As you wish, Master," the maid bowed before walking away.

Jude waited a few minutes before speaking again. "Did you sleep with my daughter?"

The question ripped Natsu's attention away from the exit Lucy took. His eyes flitted over to her father, then narrowed. "That's none of your business."

The blond man glared at the pink haired man for a few more seconds before saying, "what are your intentions with Lucy?"

As much as Natsu wanted to tell Jude that was also none of his business, he decided to take the high road. "My intentions are to be with her. Doesn't get more simple than that."

Jude crossed his arms over his chest before asking, "do you have a college degree in anything?"

Natsu leaned back in the couch, feeling the tension set in again. "Nope."

"Do you have anything?"

"A certificate."

"For what?" Jude asked with mild curiosity.

The pink haired man almost looked away, but decided to keep the eye contact. "Welding."

"Is that what you do for a living?"

Natsu could see the disappointment in the older man's face when he admitted, "I'm a welder, yes."

The blond man scoffed, earning a low growl from Natsu. "A welder, huh? Guess she could do worse..." He let out a humorless laugh.

"Yeah," Natsu agreed with a hint of malice to his voice. "She could end up with a rapist or something."

That stopped Jude's laugh. "He raped her?"

"She didn't tell you?" Natsu cocked his head, feeling glad that she trusted him with this information before she trusted her father. "He raped her for years."

"I... I didn't know..."

"Of course you didn't. You didn't ask, did you?"

"I didn't think to ask her something like that."

While Natsu was on a roll, he asked, "did you ever bother to find out how Lucy was doing in her marriage? Or were you too busy with your business like always?"

"That's not fair," Jude grunted, clenching his teeth.

"I think it's pretty fair."

Lucy's father averted his gaze. "I didn't think she was being abused."

"Didn't think, or didn't care to know?" Natsu felt uncomfortable with how this conversation was going, but he wanted to get back at Jude for hurting his pride. He wasn't a damn _boy_ , and he wouldn't allow anyone to treat him that way. He knew this man didn't think he deserved Lucy, but he wanted to show Jude that his opinion didn't matter. Not this time.

Jude didn't say anything for a while. Just when Natsu figured he gave up, he finally spoke. "Can you provide for my daughter?"

The pink haired man stared at Jude, but his gaze was still to the side. "I can. It won't be as luxurious as this, but I can keep her feed, clothed, and sheltered. Plus, she can provide for herself just as much. She's not some helpless animal. She's smart enough to make it on her own, but I'll be there to support her no matter what she decides."

As if he hadn't heard Natsu's answer, Jude asked, "how many women have you been with? Have you ever been married?"

Natsu shook his head. "That's _really_ none of your business. I already discussed it with Lucy, and that's the only person who needs to know."

"How can she be sure you'll stay faithful to her?"

"Because my heart only beats for her. She knows how much I love her," Natsu noticed the way Jude cringed at that last part. "And she loves me." In all honesty he added that just to stab Jude in the heart. His _little girl_ was in love with Natsu Dragneel, and there wasn't a damned thing he could do about it.

"You know about her... _issue_ , right?"

Natsu's eyes widened for just a split second before he steeled himself. "I'm aware she can't have children if that's what you mean by _issue_. That doesn't bother me."

Jude glanced up, finally looking the other male in the eye. "It doesn't? Why?"

"It doesn't," Natsu's voice held strength. "There's more than one way to have a kid. I'm a good example. I was adopted at a young age, and I was raised in a loving home. For the most part, I turned out normal."

He didn't include the multiple women he'd been with, his alcohol addiction, or his anger issues. Those weren't his business after all. "I at least haven't been arrested or hit a woman." He didn't count Erza when he said 'hit a woman'. The redhead and him often fought earlier on, but it was consensual fighting. Besides, he lost more times than he won...

Jude grumbled under his breath, but Natsu couldn't hear him from that far away. The younger man tugged at the scarf around his neck. It felt like the temperature might be rising, but he knew better. He was nervous, despite his best attempts at keeping control.

Natsu was out of his element. Any other Saturday he'd be hanging out at his house watching tv until it was late enough to hit up a bar. Now he was in Crocus talking to Jude while Lucy was in the other room with two officers doing who knows what.

"Would you consider going to college?"

Natsu raised a pink brow at the question. "I don't see a point in it."

"Why's that?"

"Well, I already have all the qualifications I need for the job I have. I like my job, and I'm actually pretty good at it. I'd rather not switch careers just so you can feel better that I have an education." Yeah, Natsu saw right through what Jude was implying. He should go to college to get a different job because Jude didn't consider 'welding' a suitable job for her daughter's significant other.

"Look," the pink haired man sat up straight. "You may have known Lucy longer, but I know her better. She doesn't need all these fancy things," he flailed his hands in the air for emphasis. "She never did. She just wants acceptance for who she is, and I can do that for her. I'm sure you've heard the expression 'money can't buy you happiness'. Well it's true. You don't need a lot of money to enjoy life."

Natsu could have ended it there, but he had a lot more he wanted to say. He'd thought about what he'd say to Jude if he ever got the chance over the years. Of course those scenarios in his head consisted of him cussing at the older man, so he had to modify them.

"I've been in love with Lucy since shortly after meeting her, and that hasn't changed at all. I know I don't deserve her, but if she'll have me, then I'm here. I'm not going to let you, or anyone else besides her tell me I can't be with her. It's completely her choice. I may not make a million dollars in my entire lifetime, but I work hard to make the money I do have, and I can provide a normal life for her."

He paused to sigh. "With all that in mind, go ahead and say whatever you need to say, it won't change the way I feel about your daughter or stop me from pursuing her. Only she can make me stop, and I doubt that will happen. I won't hurt her, emotionally or physically. I love her, now and for the rest of my life. So if that bothers you, then tough luck. I'm here to stay, and there's nothing you can do about it." He finished it off by crossing his arms and leaning back on the couch.

Jude stared with his mouth parted for a few minutes, unable to come up with something to say. Before he could figure out, they heard footsteps coming from down the hall. Natsu stood immediately, watching the mouth of the hall until Lucy emerged with the two officers. Her eyes were locked on the floor, her lips pressed into a thin line. Her blonde bangs covered most of her face.

"Do you remember everything we told you?"

Lucy nodded slowly, her eyes still looking at the floor.

"We'll see you soon," the woman officer said before her and the male began leaving the house.

It wasn't until they were closing the door behind them that Natsu turned back to gaze at Lucy. She had a business card in her shaky fingers. Once she heard the car outside start up, she began crying.

It was subtle at first, with just a few tears rolling down her flushed cheeks, but within a few seconds she sobbed.

She looked up, seeing Natsu and her father standing a few feet away from her. She didn't hear when they moved closer to her, but she was glad. Her knees threatened to give out, so she needed him to catch her.

Lucy took one step towards the males. Jude began opening up his arms to accept his daughter, but the blonde stepped into Natsu's chest, causing his arms to wrap around her out of instinct. She cried harder against his shirt, wetting it with her tears.

Natsu ran his fingers through her silky hair, whispering soothing words to help her calm down. Jude stood off to the side, hurt by his daughter's rejection, but understanding her decision. He was the reason she married her husband in the first place. If he hadn't introduced them, he might have found a different way to save his business, and maybe still give his wife a few more years of life.

When Lucy finally stopped crying, she pulled away. Natsu was reluctant to let her go, but he didn't want to force her to stay with him if she didn't want to. He wiped the stray tears from her eyes with a thumb, telling her she was a strong woman, and anyone would cry in her situation.

That only caused her to hug him again, crying harder than before from his kind words. It took several more minutes before she calmed down. When they asked what the police did, she frowned.

"They took pictures of the marks..."

"What marks?" Jude asked, looking at his daughter.

"The-" She closed her mouth, unsure if she wanted to tell her father her how her husband beat her.

Natsu wrapped a protective arm around her, showing her he was by her side no matter what. After a few silent seconds, she finished, "the belt marks he left."

Jude's eyes widened, his mouth falling open. "Oh Lucy," he sounded hurt to hear that, but it was too late. The pain had already came and went, leaving behind emotional scars, but hopefully not physical ones.

She already had enough physical scars from her razors.

"I need to go to-" She stopped herself, wondering if she should call it _her_ house or _her husband's_ house. It had never felt like a home, just a prison. "I need to get my stuff."

"Will there be police escorts?" Jude asked.

Lucy nodded. "The two that were just here, they're on their way to that house..."

"Will he be there?" Natsu growled.

She shook her head. "Officer Eucliffe said they already sent some police officers to the estate, but security informed them that he's left town for a business trip and won't be back until next week."

"Well that's convenient," Natsu was glad they wouldn't run into that abusive asshole, but at the same time he hoped he'd get the chance to punch that fucker in the face. It was better this way, especially for Lucy. He couldn't imagine how she'd react if she saw him again.

A part of Natsu still feared she would change her mind and go back to her husband.

He'd seen it on the news, heard it in gossip, most women being abused go back to their ex because life without them seems scarier than the abuse they faced at home. He just hoped Lucy was smart enough to stay away from that jackass. Even if she wasn't with him, he'd rather her be single than go back to her husband.

"We should leave now," Jude started, motioning for them to follow him to the front door. "The sooner you get your stuff, the better."

"Should I come too?" Virgo asked, poking her head from around a corner.

Natsu took one look at the other pink haired adult, seeing she had that blade in her hand again. "Probably best if you stay here. Who knows what you'll do with that." It was meant as a joke, but it lacked humor.

The maid looked down at her knife, then back up at Jude. "May I come Master?"

"As you wish."

The four of them piled into Jude's SUV with Virgo as the driver. Natsu decided not to take his pills, knowing it'd be better in the long run since it was a short trip from Jude's estate to the other. Besides, he wanted to stay alert at all times, and his medication might effect him negatively.

Despite feeling sick, Natsu did his best to comfort Lucy as they drove through town. In a shaky voice, he asked her what happened with the police. She answered him, but made sure only he could hear.

Whispering, she said, "they started off with taking my statement." Her breath brushed against his ear, "that took a while, but after that they took pictures of me."

He tried to keep his voice low as he asked, "was that guy in the room?"

"No," she assured him. "He stood outside while the female had me strip for the photos. She... she said they may not be able to prove the abuse was from my husband though."

Before Natsu could ask why, she answered, "the marks you left me were documented as well. The lady told me it doesn't look good that I slept with another man once I left." The marks she referred to were the hickeys and bite marks Natsu left her.

"You told her," Natsu gulped back the urge to throw up. He leaned back in the seat, hoping the ride would be over soon.

"I did," Lucy said when she adjusted to his new position. "I figure it'd be better to be completely honest about what happened, that way I don't get trapped in a lie, even if the truth is bad." She saw the way his face fell, so she added, "it just looks bad in the eye of the law. I don't regret what we did. Not for a second."

Natsu gave a weak smile, "that's good... Did they say anything else?"

"Yeah," Lucy rested a hand on his lap, grabbing one of his limp hands. "But we can talk about it later. It's about my temporary restraining order, and the court process of pressing charges against him... I just want to get some stuff and leave for now."

"I understand," Natsu cringed when the vehicle hit a large bump. His stomach nearly came undone from the action. "Are we almost there yet?" He wore a crooked smile, sending warmth through her heart.

"Actually, yes," Lucy's fingers tightened around his hand. "A few more blocks."

"Good."

"Yeah," she sighed, leaning her hand against his chest. "Good."

From the front seat, Jude glared in the mirror. He didn't like the way his daughter acted around Natsu. Even if she decided to be with that man, she was still legally married. He'd rather her wait until the divorce was finalized before sleeping around with someone else, but he knew he couldn't control her. She made that clear when she said she wanted to go to Magnolia.

The SUV slowed down when they got to the gate outside Lucy's husband's estate. The security guard walked up to the vehicle. "State your business?"

The maid leaned back so the guard could see Jude. "We're here to get my daughter's stuff. The police should be here?"

"Ah, yes," the guard nodded, then pressed a button on the side of his walkie talkie. "Miss Lucy is here with her father."

A voice Lucy didn't recognize radioed back. _"Let them through, over."_

The guard nodded, then went up to the side of the gate to swipe his card, allowing the gate to part and give them the ability to enter. Virgo started driving again, until they reached the circle driveway.

A man walked up wearing a butler's uniform. "Should I park the car?" He asked Virgo.

Jude answered for her. "No, we won't be here for long."

"As you wish, sir," the male bowed before taking a few steps back.

The four exited the car, Natsu a little more enthusiastically compared to the others. The two familiar looking officers were waiting outside the door, along with a few extra officers they didn't recognize. The same female officer that came to Jude's house earlier stepped up.

"Take as much time as you need to get your belongings," Officer Agria said. "Your husband's assistant said he left town this morning to go to Hargeon."

"Okay," Lucy mumbled with a shaky breath. She turned to see Natsu standing beside her, with Jude and Virgo a few feet behind him. "I guess I'll be right back... Do... Do you want to come in?"

Natsu cocked his head. "Do _you_ want me to come in? If yes, then I'll do it. Totally up to you."

The blonde nodded, "I'd prefer that. You can wait downstairs, but I'd feel better if you were near me."

"Whatever you want, Luce."

All four of them entered the house, but only Lucy went upstairs. She hated being in that house again. It felt wrong just stepping foot through the threshold. A few maids passed by her, all keeping their heads down to avoid her gaze. _'I see nothing's changed...'_

On her way into the house, she noticed some police officers interviewing the maids. She wondered what they'd say. Would they tell the truth, or were her husband's deep pockets enough to buy their silence? She guessed the ladder.

Lucy opened the door to the room she shared with the man who scared her more than anyone else in the world. She hesitated before taking a step in, apprehensive about making that first move. After a few minutes of struggling, she finally moved one foot in front of the other and made it through the door.

The room didn't look like it had when she left. Broken pictures frames littered the ground, along with most of her possessions. The bed wasn't resting on the box-spring properly, hanging almost halfway off.

She was actually glad the room looked trashed. It meant her memories of the horror she suffered in there were distorted. They still flared up in her mind, but it wasn't as bad as she thought it would be considering everything was in disarray. The demons of her past barely plagued her.

Lucy took cautious steps to her dresser. Most of her clothes were scattered on the floor, covered in glass. She stuck with gathering the clean clothes in her dresser, emptying out the drawers into a suitcase she brought with her from her father's house.

She shook her head at the irony. Four years ago she was doing the same thing, but to move in with her - _future_ \- husband. Now she was trying to get away from him.

After the drawers were bare, she went to the bathroom. Inside, resting on the counter, was an antique jewelry box. She was surprised to see it all in one piece. Her hands started reaching for it until her eye caught sight of the shower.

Her face turned, glancing at it. The curtain was pulled out, covering the view she'd usually have of her razor that sat on the shower caddy. She couldn't help but think about the last time she cut herself. It had been right there. Now was not the time to be dwelling on the past, so she shook the thoughts from her head.

Lucy gathered her mother's jewelry, and the necklaces and rings she'd gathered over her lifetime. She didn't touch any of the 'presents' her husband gave her, not wanting anything else to do to with him.

She went back to the bedroom, setting the suitcase by the door. Being as careful as she could, she picked up the broken picture frames, seeking out one photo in particular. It was the one of just her mother. She could always get copies made, but this one was special. On the back contained a handwritten message to Lucy, telling her to never give up on her dreams.

When Lucy found it, she smiled. Her heart filled with a warmth that was only caused by love. She reread the message she'd already memorized, feeling closer to her mom for just a moment.

The sound of broken glass being stepped on tore Lucy away from her pleasant memories. She spun around, gasping when she saw the man behind her.

"Lucy," the man breathed, his dark eyes gleaming.

"J-Jackal," she took a step back, the back of her legs hitting the bed. "What are- they said you were out of town?"

Her husband stood there at the threshold of the bathroom. His eyes were fixed on her, never wavering. "I had to see you again," he took a step closer, causing Lucy's entire body to tense. "They said you'd be coming by, so I had my assistant help me."

Lucy's eyes flitted over to the open bedroom door. Jackal was closer, limiting her chances of a quick escape. She tried to talk, but her throat felt constricted. It felt similar to the times he got off choking her.

"Lucy," the way he said her name sent shivers down her spine. She tried to back up more, but all she could do was press tighter against the edge of the bed. "I'm sorry."

"What?" She blinked, unsure if she heard him right.

Jackal took another step closer to her, opening his arms. "I'm sorry for whatever I did to make you leave. I'll change. I promise I'll get better, for us."

Lucy shook her head. "I can't forgive you for what you did." It wasn't healthy staying in a relationship with him. She knew she was better off on her own than with the abusive man.

"I was just a little rough with you," he shrugged as if they were merely talking about aggressive sex, and not rape. "I thought you liked it."

"How could you ever think that?"

"Your scars," he held his hand out, palm up, pointing towards her legs. "I thought you liked a little pain."

Lucy flushed, ashamed of herself for causing her body damage. Her eyes darted to the wall, not wanting to see his face anymore. She didn't want to hear any of this. She already knew her skin was flawed. Did he really have to bring it up again?

Jackal's unnaturally calm voice sounded in the room. "I can't live without you. I promise I won't be rough with you anymore."

"You hit me," Lucy snapped, her tiny fists shaking. Her whole body trembled from the mixture of fear and anxiety swirling within her. She wanted to be rid of him. The police said he wouldn't be here, so she hadn't prepared herself for seeing him so soon. A sense of hopelessness fought to take over her.

"And I apologized," he reasoned, as if that would make it all go away. He never was one to acknowledge his own short-comings.

"Sorry doesn't cut it!" Lucy finally looked at the face that tormented her for years. Her resolved steeled, her mind made up. "It's too late for that now. I'm leaving."

A darkness flashed through her husband's wild eyes. "You don't mean that." He took a step closer, glass crunching under his heavy boots.

"I-I do," she tried to hold firm, but the closer he got, the more terrified she became. Her eyes flitted back to the open bedroom door. This time he caught the action.

Moving quickly, Jackal side-stepped towards the door, then shut it. Lucy asked him what he was doing, but he only answered by locking it. "Now we can be completely alone without anyone disturbing us."

"Jackal, you need to let me go."

He turned, facing the shaking woman. "Oh, I don't think I have to do anything. See, you're still _my wife_ , which means I still get a say in what you do."

"That's not true," Lucy pleaded, feeling the words sounding wrong in her mouth. Being in this house, this room, with him, it forced Lucy to dance on the line between past and present. She could feel her resolve slipping the longer she stayed here. She needed a way out.

Lucy's head turned to look at the window. It was closed, probably locked, but she'd jumped from it before. She could do it again. Before she got a chance to make a move, she felt arms wrap around her.

The blonde's body tensed in an instant. She felt her husband's lips on her ear as he whispered in a sadistic tone, "I need to punish you for being a bad girl. No one runs away from me and gets away with it."

Hearing his voice made her heart pound. Once she felt the harness in his pants pressing against her body, she lost it. She began struggling against his grip, not wanting to give up the freedom she just claimed. She didn't want to be raped again.

Jackal was by far stronger than her, but that didn't deter her from trying. She kicked at him, tried to head-butt him, but all her efforts were fruitless.

He cackled in her ear, causing goosebumps to spread throughout her skin and her hair to stand on end. "Let me go!"

Jackal's eyebrows drew in from her outburst. "Shut up, do you want everyone to hear you?"

Lucy's brown eyes widened. She opened her mouth wide and yelled, "HEL-"

She didn't finish calling for help before a fist came into contact with her stomach. Her body was released, so she hunched over on the bed in pain. She heard the sound of boots on glass again as Jackal paced through the room. "You better hope no one heard you."

Lucy opened her mouth to shout again, but she was in too much pain. However, Jackal saw what she was trying to do. He wasn't taking any chances.

Lucy felt that same fist punch at the side of her face. She cried out from the pain, tears already streaming down her eyes. Jackal rarely punched her in the past, but when he did, it hurt. Several times she thought he broke a bone, but he was always careful to make sure no permanent damage remained. He didn't want to get in trouble after all.

"Leave, me alone," Lucy muttered, her voice laced with pain and tears. She flinched when he brought his hand up again, then cried harder when he tried to wipe away her tears with his thumb. She almost wished he'd hit her again instead of show her a small act of kindness. Her stomach twisted with disgust.

"I love you, Lucy," Jackal said, as if he really meant it. His arms came around her again, picking her up and crushing her into a too tight hug. She was dead-weight, not giving him any satisfaction of having a compliant wife. "I missed you. I'll never let you go again. We'll just explain that this was all one big misunderstanding."

Jackal kissed the part of her face where a bruise was already forming. It stung, but he didn't try to stop kissing her. "You'll have to put on some makeup first. You look disgusting with that hideous bruise on your face."

Lucy's feet landed on the ground, then she began struggling again. "You can't keep me here," she reasoned, trying to tug away from her husband.

"Oh but I can. All you have to do is tell the police you were lying, then we can go back to being a happy family. We can have a baby too!"

Lucy stopped struggling for a moment. "A baby?"

"Yeah," Jackal's eyes lit up. There was a softness present that wasn't there before. "I found a doctor that can fix you. He says he's had success with women like you before."

"Women... like me?"

"You know," her husband smiled. "Broken women."

Lucy's eyes fell to the floor. _'Broken...'_ That was all she was viewed as. She was damaged goods. Before she could let herself spiral into a depressed state, the image of pink hair and green eyes flashed through her face. _'Natsu would never call me broken.'_

In a low tone, Lucy warned. "Let go of me or else."

That dark glint filtered into his eyes again. "Or else what?" His twisted smile made her doubt herself for a second, but she held firm.

"You can't control me anymore. I am leaving you, Jackal. I am leaving this house and never coming back."

Jackal glared at her, his grin turning into a smirk. "I'd like to see you try."

Mustering every bit of strength she had, she brought her knee up and hit him right in the balls. Jackal let out a shriek, then Lucy used the opportunity to run towards the door. She didn't make it two steps before a hand caught the tail of her shirt, causing her to stumble.

Lucy fell, landing on a pile of glass. Luckily she hit the outside of the pile, so only her knees and below made contact. Even then, the jeans she wore protected her some. Pushing off her elbows, Lucy forced herself up. She couldn't afford to rest for a second.

Once her hand touched the lock, two arms wrapped around her again, gripping her like a vice. "I thought I said you can't leave."

Not thinking twice about it, she used Jackal's strength to her advantage. The hold he had her in was so tight, she was able to bring her feet up without him letting go. Her husband raised an eyebrow, wondering what she was doing, until he gasped when he realized her plan.

Lucy started kicking at the door as hard and as loud as she could. She got three good kicks in before he ripped her away from the area. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?"

"Help!" Lucy answered, not caring anymore what happened to her. She was about to yell a second time, but Jackal's hand covered her mouth.

"Shut up bitch!"

The blonde didn't hesitate to bite hard on his hand, causing him to grunt in pain. That earned her another punch to the gut, but it was all worth it in the end when she heard _his_ voice on the other side of the door.

Knocking was followed by, "Luce?"

Lucy opened her mouth, "Natsu! I-" Jackal's hand covered her mouth again a second later, cutting off her sentence. She wanted to yell that she needed help, but all she could do was let out muffled cries. He used his free hand to punch her in the side, bringing tears to her eyes. He wrapped that arm around her, keeping her arms at her sides.

"What is _he_ doing here," Jackal hissed in Lucy's ear.

"Are you okay?" Natsu asked, "I heard something from downstairs."

She let out a long wail, hoping the man on the other side of the door could hear her. She guessed he did, because he announced, "I'm coming in!" She heard the door knob twist, but he couldn't open the door since it was locked. "Lucy, open the door."

Lucy felt Jackal's tongue trace the outter shell of her ear, causing her to flinch away. In a whispered voice, her husband instructed, "I'm going to let go of your mouth, and you're going to be a good girl and tell him you're fine. That way he can leave and we can be a happy family again. Can you manage that, or should I persuade you?" She winced when his nails dug into her face.

Lucy hesitated, making it look like she considered his words. She slowly nodded, relieved when he let go of her mouth. She felt sick when she saw a string of saliva connected from her bottom lip to his hand where she cried out against his palm.

In a gentle voice, Lucy said, "Natsu?"

His reply was instant. "Yeah? What's going on? Are you okay?"

Lucy looked at her husband, seeing those dark eyes trained on her. He still had an arm around her, refusing to let go. She opened her mouth, trying to subtly take in more air before she yelled at the top of her lungs. "HELP ME!"

"You fucking bitch!" Jackal growled, throwing her down onto the bed before punching her hard on the thigh. She screamed in agony, but he didn't care. He never cared about her suffering.

They both heard something slam against the door. Jackal turned, seeing the wood splinter down the middle. He panicked, looking for an escape route. The only one was the window, so he rushed over there to unlock it.

As soon as he opened the window, the door to their bedroom swung open, slamming against the wall, denting it. A furious looking Natsu stood at the threshold. "You!" His voice came out as a growl. Before Jackal could flinch, Natsu was already sprinting to the man.

Jackal tried to jump out of the window, but as soon as he made the leap, he started to choke. Natsu grabbed onto his shirt's collar, not letting the bastard escape. Using all his strength, the pink haired man yanked him inside, throwing him onto the floor.

Natsu's fist smacked against Jackal's jaw. The man on the floor let out a grunt of pain before the pink haired man took another swing at his face. Three hits was all he got in before someone forced him away from Jackal.

Natsu was about to lash out at the person who grabbed him, but stopped when he saw a familiar face. Officer Eucliffe had his arms around him, keeping him detained while Officer Agria picked Jackal up from the floor. The back of his clothes were covered in glass shards, but that didn't stop him from lashing out.

"You can't have my wife!" Jackal screamed, pushing the female officer out of the way to lunge at Natsu.

Seeing as his arms were being held, Natsu prepared himself to take on whatever he could dish out. However, just as Jackal was about to punch the defenseless pink haired man, a foot came up to kick Jackal in the ribs.

"AAARHHH!" He went down, kneeling in the pile of glass while he clutched at his side.

Natsu looked over, stunned to see Lucy falling backwards onto the mattress. She stumbled after the kick, but it was worth it to finally cause her husband some pain that was long overdue. With any luck, she at least bruised a rib - _if not broke one_.

The officer holding Natsu released him. Before he could go over to grab Lucy and comfort her, he felt his hands being jerked behind him and the feeling of metal biting at his wrists. "What the hell?"

Officer Eucliffe pushed Natsu forward. "This is for everyone's safety. Come with me quietly and it'll be over soon."

The pink haired man knew he could overpower this officer. It might not be easy, but he could do it. He refrained from violence, trusting that if he cooperated, this would be over soon. The female officer slapped some cuffs on Jackal as well, then told Lucy to stay where she was until she came back to get her.

Lucy nodded, tears streaming down her face as she watched the officers haul away the two men. She curled up into a ball, wrapping her arms around her legs. Everything happened so fast, she barely got a chance to breathe. When she saw Jackal gunning towards Natsu, she snapped. She couldn't let that abuser hurt the only man she ever loved.

Lucy didn't know how much time passed before Officer Agria came back. She asked Lucy to strip again, wanting to take pictures of any possible bruising, saying it would help her case since they already took pictures this morning. Before and after pictures would show the recent abuse and incriminate Jackal.

The last thing Lucy wanted to do was take her clothes off, but if it would get her husband in trouble, she couldn't strip fast enough. The female officer snapped multiple photos, making sure to cover every new bruise that surfaced on Lucy's fair skin. When she finished, Lucy asked about Natsu as she put her clothes back on.

"Is that the man with the pink hair?" Officer Agria asked as she put the camera back in her bag.

"Yeah."

The officer nodded. "We have to detain him until he is no longer a threat. He's being quiet now, sitting in the back seat of our squad car. It's just a cautionary thing. He's not being arrested or charged with anything. He's claiming self-defense for you and we believe him."

"That's good," Lucy sighed in relief. After dressing, she asked, "can I see him?"

"When he's released. First we need to take your statement for what just happened.

"Oh... Okay."

The two women moved to the dining room of the mansion. Lucy's packed bag rested by her feet, with the photo of her mother sitting on top. She gave her statement, making sure to leave nothing out. When quoting some of the things Jackal said to her, she felt her stomach lurch every time she thought about it.

It seemed to take forever, but eventually Natsu was released and allowed back inside. He didn't hesitate to find Lucy, wrapping her in a tight hug and kissing her deeply to show how much he missed her, even if they'd been separated only an hour at most.

Lucy welcomed the feeling of Natsu's lips pressed against hers. His skin seared hot, but the burn was delicious. She only wished they weren't standing in her husband's house during the kiss, but that wasn't enough to stop her.

Natsu had to give his statement next. Lucy was told to wait with her father while they finished up. When asked what happened to Jackal, the blonde could see the smile Officer Agria tried to conceal.

"He's been arrested. Officers took him to the station about forty minutes ago."

Lucy nodded, holding back the urge to smile right along the with officer. She gathered her things, then walked to the mansion's entrance where her father stood. They shared a glance, but nothing could be said. Jude saw the bruise on Lucy's face, anger boiling in the older man from his lack of judgment.

Hearing about Lucy being abused was different from seeing it first hand. As much as he wished he could go back and change the past, he knew it was a pointless wish. He could only learn from his mistakes, and hope his daughter would forgive him for giving her away to some monster.

Lucy didn't know how much time passed before her thoughts were interrupted by a male's voice. "Miss Heartfilia?"

Lucy spun around to see Officer Eucliffe. "Yes?"

The male officer put a hand behind his neck as he averted her eyes. "I'm really sorry to have to tell you this, but your husband made bail."

"What?" Her eyes widened, fear trickling in as she realized Jackal was free.

"His lawyer posted bail as soon as he got to the station. He won't be coming here while you're still here, but I needed to inform you since you have a protective order against him now."

"He can't see me, right?" She asked, breathing heavier when the air felt like it thinned.

"That's correct. It's a violation if he contacts you or sees you. If he tries anything, contact the police as soon as it happens. We'll arrest him again. If he violates it, more than likely they won't let him get out on bail again. An officer is on his way now with a copy. It's temporary, but it should be enough for now."

"I see..."

Officer Eucliffe finally made eye contact with Lucy. He'd seen many battered women over the years, but she was in for a rough ride. Her husband had the money to hire the best lawyers in Fiore who would do anything for that paycheck.

Even let a guilty man walk free.

Pushing his personal opinions aside, he told Lucy about Jackal's court date on Wendesday morning. It would be in her best interest to show up and see what she was up against. That moment would determine if it goes to trial since she claimed he raped her. Jackal wasn't going to confess, so it would need to be presented to a judge.

Lucy listened to every word Officer Eucliffe said, even when the corners of her vision started to fade and his voice drifted away. The more he talked, the more helpless she felt. It would be as simple as she thought in the beginning.

At some point in time Lucy zoned out. The officer wished her luck, then left to go take care of some other business. Just as he said, another officer came to the mansion to give the blonde her temporary protective order against her husband. She held it behind the picture of her mother, not wanting to see what her life had come to. She'd rather see Layla's smiling face than the reality that was now her life.

Lucy waited until Natsu emerged from the dining room. He looked exhausted, and she couldn't blame him. She didn't know if it was from the long drive or the confrontation with Jackal. In the end, she decided it had to be a mixture of the two. She felt worn out too. All she wanted was a nap and something to eat.

Natsu wrapped an arm around Lucy, protecting her from her fears as they left the estate. He carried her suitcase in one hand while she carried the photo of her mother and her protective order. The drive to Jude's house was quiet aside from the occasional gagging sounds from Natsu as he dealt with his tumbling stomach.

When they arrived, everyone shuffled indoors. The blue sky showed it was still daytime, but Lucy was ready for bed now. When she expressed her desire for sleep, her father insisted that she at least eat something first. It wasn't hard convincing her since her stomach was growling.

Virgo left the three in the living room while she went to prepare dinner. Jude was once again sitting in his armchair, reading over the temporary protective order to make sure everything was correct.

Lucy leaned against Natsu's chest while they sat on the couch. She listened to his steady heartbeat, letting it lull her. She hadn't spoken much since finding out that her husband was out on bail. Natsu's arm around her gave her a sense of security, but she still worried about what might happen. Would she ever truly be safe?

"Dinner will be ready in a few minutes," Virgo peeked her head in the living room, startling the three other adults.

Lucy let out a sigh, snuggling closer to Natsu. The pink haired man saw the occasional glares Jude tossed his way, but he did his best to ignore him. Lucy wanted him, and that was all that mattered. His hand brushed against her arm, sending warmth through her body. She felt lucky to have him to calm her down, and to stick with her through all this drama.

Breaking the silence, Jude announced, "they spelled your name wrong."

Lucy raised a blonde brow. "They couldn't spell 'Lucy'?"

Her father shook his head, "not that part. They spelled your last name with an extra 'L'."

"Do you think I should tell them?" She asked, sitting up despite Natsu's groan. His comfortable position vanished when she broke away from him.

Jude's mouth twisted as he thought. "I don't think it will be a big deal. We can give the officers a call after dinner."

"Sounds good," Lucy nodded. Before she could reclaim her spot on Natsu's chest, they all heard Virgo announce that dinner was ready.

The three sat at the large table. It was long, with Natsu at one end and Jude at the other. Lucy sat closer to Natsu, seeing him as her safety blanket. Virgo set out the dishes filled with food in front of everyone. Natsu's mouth watered as soon as he saw a steak on his plate. He hadn't realized just how hungry he was until now.

They waited until everyone received their food before digging in. Just as Natsu was about to put a rather large piece of steak in his mouth, he froze. His eyes flashed over to Virgo, seeing her carrying a bottle.

He tried to tell her to stop, but no words escaped his parted lips. He watched as the maid filled a wine glass next to his plate until it was full. No one noticed his odd behavior, even as Virgo moved on to pour Lucy's glass.

Jude was the first to get his wine, and was already sipping it when he looked up at Natsu's stunned face. "You look like you've never seen wine before?"

Natsu's face snapped up to glance at the opposite end of the table. His green eyes were wild, lost in his own mind that started racing with a simple thought. _'Drink it!'_

His eyes flashed down to the wine glass, seeing that alcoholic liquid that seemed to be calling his name. He yearned for it, far more than he realized he would. After a day like today, he needed a drink, but that only frightened him. He was trying to quit, so taking a sip of wine would only hinder his ability to get better.

He gulped, feeling his dry throat. His hands began shaking. He hadn't thought it was noticeable, but when Lucy placed a hand over his, he realized she knew.

"Are you okay?" She asked, peering over at Natsu. He was breathing heavily, sweat collecting on his forehead.

"I'll be right back," he shouted despite his best efforts to remain calm. He jolted away from the table, shaking it in the process. Nothing spilled, but he caught everyone's attention. "Just, fresh air..." He left it at that, escaping the house and the alcohol that tempted him.

Once outside, he let out a shuttering breath. He hadn't realized how bad his problem really was. For the longest time he thought he was a casual drinker, nothing more. The reality that he actually did have a problem settled in, causing him to panic.

He took a seat on the front porch, terrified of his own reactions. He thought since he didn't think about drinking all day, he was getting better. Turns out he was just distracted. Now that the opportunity was in front of him, he almost gave in. He felt pathetic, letting some liquid get the better of him.

However, he knew it was far more than 'some liquid'. It was his escape from pain, a way to lose himself and feel a comfort he thought he couldn't get anywhere else. Being with Lucy helped, but the urge was still present. He wasn't sure it would ever go away.

Natsu breathed in the fresh air, hoping it would sooth his lungs. His throat still felt dry and scratchy, but he dealt with it. He rested his elbows on his knees, placing his head in his hands. "I'm such a fucking wreck." He let out a deep sigh, then gasped when he heard the door close behind him.

"You can't be more of a wreck than me," Lucy's sweet voice filled his ears. He jerked his body to see the blonde step over to him. He was so lost in his thoughts he hadn't heard her open the door in the first place.

Lucy sat down next to him, letting their thighs touch. For a moment, it was silent between them. The only sounds he heard were his uneven breaths and the birds chirping in the distance.

"So," she started, looking over at him to see the panic still swirling in his dark green eyes. "What's wrong?"

He tore his eyes away from her, feeling guilty for keeping a secret like this from her. He wanted to be honest, he wanted a fresh start for them. Steeling his nerves was easier said than done, but he still tried. If this was for Lucy, he could make it happen.

With tremors still coursing through his body, he opened his mouth. "I... I have something... I need to tell you..."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, now this is my longest chapter so far. Over 10,000 words... Damn... Sorry this chapter is later than normal. It honestly wasn't easy writing. Several times I had to stop and focus on something else so I wouldn't get overwhelmed.
> 
> Thank you for all the hits and kudos. As always, thank you to those who commented: Natsuu & Miraculous_kid! 
> 
> Up next, Chapter Twelve: Fear
> 
> I'm just going to say, brace yourselves. It's going to be a crazy ride. Any guesses on where this story will go? Let me know what you think! I love hearing from you!


	12. Fear

**Chapter Twelve: Fear**

"What do you need to tell me?" Lucy asked, gazing at the unsteady man beside her. The two sat on the porch steps of her father's house, waiting for his answer.

Natsu's eyes were trained on the ground, tracing lines in the grass as he tried to figure out how to come clean. He'd thought about it a few times, but never enough to actually form the first sentence needed to start this conversation. How was he supposed to break the news to her?

He sighed, feeling the shakiness in his breath. He had to do this. It wasn't fair to her to keep this secret. If she was going to be with him, then she deserved to know what she was getting into. He opened his mouth, only to close it. Every time he thought maybe he found the right thing to say, he stopped himself. He couldn't help but feel like a pathetic idiot for even losing against alcohol.

Natsu felt something touch his hand. He looked down, seeing Lucy's smaller hand on his own. _'She's here with me,'_ he reminded himself. _'She needs to know...'_

Natsu's other hand came up to run his fingers through his pink locks. He hadn't brushed them since yesterday, so there were a few tangles and knots to be found. He hadn't even thought about what he must look like. The lack of sleep weighed heavy on his body. He could already feel bags forming under his eyes... or darkening... He already had bags under them before this, just not as bad.

He just feared her reaction. He didn't want her to reject him, to cast him away like something damaged. He wanted her to want him for who he was, but 'who he was' made himself sick. For the first time in his life, he was afraid to confide in Lucy, the girl who stuck by his side all throughout school even when people told her she was too good for him. She was his best friend. He had to say something.

"You don't have to tell me," Lucy said, breaking through his thoughts. "If you're not ready-"

He shook his head, cutting her off. "No, I have to tell you..." He just didn't know how. He finally looked up, seeing those big brown eyes on him. He could see the kindness in her eyes, the understanding. If there was anyone in this world who could understand him, it was her. She'd been through worst pain than he had through the last four years. His alcohol problem seemed like child's play considering the abuse and rape she dealt with.

He felt frustrated that he couldn't utter a simple sentence. _'Just say you're an alcoholic... Just do it! Stop wasting her time and man up!'_ He cringed when he realized he was starting to sound like Elfman of all people. Pushing that disturbing thought aside, he realized he needed to get on with it.

Natsu opened his mouth, determined to finally admit his problem. He felt the dryness of his throat. For a split second he thought about how he should have drunk some of the wine offered to him. He dismissed the thought, cursing his poor self-control. With a cracked voice, he confessed, "I... I have a-an," he cleared his throat, feeling pain throb in his heart. "An... a-alcohol addiction..."

Lucy's eyes rounded a bit, the feeling of her hand on his lifted, making his heart strain from her rejection. He wanted to turn away, but he kept her gaze, watching her eyes for any signs of emotion. That's when he felt a strange sensation on his face.

Her hand had come up to cup his scarred cheek. Her eyes didn't change, still full of kindness. "How bad is it?" She asked, voice soft but strong.

He gulped, not caring to admit more, but knowing he had to. He had already gotten past the hardest part. Everything else should be easier. "It's... pretty bad..." Natsu stared into her eyes so long that he started to see his own reflection in her chocolate orbs.

Being as completely honest as he could, he said, "right now all I want to do is drink." Natsu gulped, feeling the tightness in his throat. He knew he was close to crying, but he didn't want to give in. He wanted to be strong, for himself and for Lucy. However, he knew the truth behind the words he just spoke probably hurt Lucy just as much as they hurt him.

"Is that why you left after Virgo poured you some wine?" She noticed the way he flinched when she mentioned the alcoholic beverage. He muttered a 'yes', but it was barely audible.

Lucy remembered what Natsu said when they were in the bar, that it was his tradition to go to Fairy Tail after being dumped by a girlfriend. _'Is it worse than what he made it seem before?'_

Lucy just assumed he was blowing off steam like most people do after a breakup, but maybe it was more to Natsu than just getting drunk one night. She remembered looking in his fridge for something to eat the morning after. She found a bottle of vodka in his freezer, but thought nothing of it. The refrigerator at the house she lived at had alcohol in it, so she figured it was normal.

_'What if to Natsu, alcohol is like a razor to me?'_

She thought about that for a minute, knowing just how addicting cutting herself was. If alcohol was any bit as addictive as people said it was, she could see how he'd fall into being an alcoholic. She wanted to show him that there was nothing to be ashamed of, but she knew it wasn't a good idea to normalize what he did. That might make it worse.

Honestly she didn't know how to handle this situation. She wanted to show she was here for him, but how exactly was she supposed to do it? A simple hug wouldn't change his behavior. She doubted one talk would erase the damage that was probably done to his liver. She had heard stories of people ruining their body over alcoholism, but she never thought she'd come face to face with someone who suffered the same fate.

Natsu's head dipped down, his bottom lip quivering. He felt the prick behind his eyes, but he still tried to hold out. He wanted to fight this. He wanted to overcome his addiction, but he didn't know if he'd be able to.

He didn't know if he was strong enough.

"I'm sorry," he closed his eyes, fighting back the tears that had surfaced. The heaviness on his heart increased as he muttered the words again. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I'm not strong enough." All he wanted growing up was to be strong for his friends and family. Now he couldn't even be strong enough for himself. He felt miserable, realizing he grew up to be the opposite of what he wanted.

If he could only go back in time and change things... Well, it was a hopeless wish, and he knew it.

"Hey," Lucy put her other hand on his knee, trying to bring him back to her. "You don't have to be strong all the time." She scooted in, wrapping her hands around her best friend. "I'm here for you. You don't have to go through this alone."

That statement was enough to break his resolve. The tears spilled, racing down his flushed cheeks. He tried to hold back a sob, but it racked through his body without his permission. "I'm sorry," he cried, not able to stop himself now, or come up with something better to say. It was all he could think about. He was sorry.

Sorry for the life he lived. Sorry for letting her go without a fight all those years ago. Sorry for laying down with women who meant nothing to him. Sorry for ruining his life and dragging her down with him.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled though the pain. He felt Lucy's arms around him, but that only made him feel smaller. He thought he'd feel better admitting his problem, but it only made him realize how horrible he truly was. He let alcohol run his life for the past few years, and never once considered himself addicted until just recently.

"Shhh," Lucy cooed, running one hand through his hair while the other rubbed circles on his back. "Don't be sorry," she said, voice barely above a whisper. "We all have our demons."

She knew that all too well. She still felt the urge to cut herself, to mutilate her body even though she was away from her husband. She resented herself, her body repulsed her. She had scars decorating a good amount of her skin, mocking her whenever she saw or felt them. Sometimes they tingled when she saw the sharp edge to a blade. The sensation was enough to make her want to dull that pain with more cuts.

She pulled his head to her chest, not minding that he got her shirt wet with his tears. It was only fair since she did the same to him earlier. "I love you Natsu," Lucy said, meaning every bit of it. "I'll be here to help you if you need it." Her voice started to waver when she realized she needed help too.

_'I can't tell him about my problem now,'_ she thought, not wanting to put anymore pressure on him than he was already had. It wouldn't be fair to unload this on him when he was already in so much pain. How would he feel if he knew the person he was relying on wasn't stable either? He'd probably fall further into whatever darkness he'd succumbed to.

Lucy held onto Natsu, even when his body started shaking. She had to be strong, for him. She had to put aside her problems to help him, because that's what friends are for. The blonde whispered words of encouragement in his ear, hoping that she was able to reach him. She just wanted him to smile again, even if it would take some time. "I'll be here for you," she had said a few times, meaning it more every time the words left her lips.

She didn't know how long they'd been sitting on the porch before Natsu's body finally stayed still. He pulled away from her, wiping his face with his shirt sleeves. He felt like a wreck, crying while Lucy consoled him. He felt like he should be better than this, but he knew the truth. He was a mess, and only outside help could fix him.

Natsu knew he couldn't do this on his own, and having Lucy with him and still craving alcohol only proved that having her in his life again wasn't enough to fix this issue. With a heavy chest, he said, "my first AA meeting is Sunday night."

Lucy gazed at his watery eyes, waiting for him to say more. She could see he wanted to add to it, but something kept him from revealing his true thoughts. Quietly, she asked, "may I come with you?"

"You'd want to?" Natsu asked, shocked that she'd said just want he wanted deep in his heart... What he needed. He didn't realize just how much support was required. He wanted to be strong enough to go it alone, but he felt weak inside. Damaged.

"Of course," Lucy assured. "I want to support you however I can. May I come?"

"Yeah," he said, still a little surprised. He knew he shouldn't be. Lucy was always a caring person. It was in her nature to try to help people. "You won't... be.. embarrassed of me... Will you?"

"I won't," she said, not raising her voice. "I'd never be embarrassed or ashamed of you, Natsu."

He nodded, feeling his heart warm from her statement. _'She's not ashamed of me.'_ It meant the world to him, because he was ashamed of himself. He felt pathetic, like a waste of space. If Lucy could accept him, then maybe he could learn to accept himself. He still needed to change. No, he _wanted_ to change. He wanted to get better, for both of them.

Lucy pulled away as a sad smile graced her lips. "You'd... you'd do the same for me, right? Try to help me?"

"Yeah," he nodded, grabbing her hands, warming them up. "I'd do anything for you if you needed help." He glanced down at her legs. They were covered in jeans, but he knew what her skin looked like without them on. "Do you need help? With-" He didn't want to finish the sentence, fearing that he might offend her.

She sighed, knowing what he was asking. Lucy looked down as his chest as she opened her mouth, "I'm fine... Really." The lie made her heart sink. She felt like she was falling deeper into the abyss, further away from the help she desperately needed. As much as she wanted to tell him she needed him, she wanted him to get better first.

Natsu on the other hand, saw right through her. His hand came up, tipping her chin up so she could meet his eyes. "Hey, you can tell me if something's bothering you." Even if he couldn't help himself, there was no way he was going to let Lucy suffer more than she already had. He wasn't there the last four years of her life, and part of him blamed himself. _'I should have fought harder for you...'_

Guilt and confusion swirled around in Lucy's mind. _'Do I tell him? No, of course not. He won't understand. At least there's a place for him to get help. Where would I go? A mental institution? No way. I should just stay quiet. I should just-'_

"Lucy," Natsu's voice reached her, pulling her out of her downward spiral. "I promise I'll be beside you no matter what. I can't imagine it'd be easy to stop, umm... _cutting_ yourself. If you need help-"

She nodded, eyes filling with tears. She leaned into his body, head landing against his chest as she balled her eyes out. "I-I d-do," she cried, throat getting thicker as she felt warm arms grip her protectively. As long as Natsu was with her, she felt like she had a chance.

She felt safe.

Now it was Natsu's turn to comfort Lucy. He knew they were both messed up, but he didn't know it was this bad. Maybe they weren't the best people to try to sort out these issues, but there was no way in hell he was letting her go through it alone. He didn't want her to feel hopeless.

Tears formed in his eyes when he heard her trying to hold back her cries. He'd been there before, trying to hold it all in. It only made things worse. Bottling up emotions never worked for him in the past, even though he continued to try to do it to this day.

He brushed his fingers through her hair, hoping he could make her feel better just like she did to him. He whispered in her ear, saying that he loved her, that she was brave, and that he'd be with her through thick and thin. Nothing was going to tear them apart again.

Nothing but themselves, and by the looks of it, neither were going anywhere any time soon. He wanted Lucy. He needed her. She was just as fucked up as him, if not more. The world turned its back on her, but he wouldn't do that. Not again.

"I-I don't," Lucy sniffled, disgusted that snot clogged her nose, making her voice sound strange. "I don't know what I-I'm supposed to do."

"What do you mean," Natsu asked, pulling her into his lap, His warm body surrounded her, giving her a degree of comfort.

"How do I fix me?"

Natsu's heart cracked from those words. He felt her body tremble, crying all over again in his arms. "You're not broken." He didn't know why, but saying that only made her cry harder. _'What the hell has this girl been through?'_

He vowed in that moment that he was going to spend the rest of his life making sure Lucy felt treasured, that she felt wanted. Never again would she fear that she was 'broken' or needed to be 'fixed'.

Natsu sighed, realizing just a few minutes ago he had wondered how he could be fixed. Still, he wouldn't let Lucy feel this way. "You're perfect to me," he whispered, hoping his words helped.

But in the end, they were just words. Actions would speak a lot louder.

"I f-feel broken," she admitted, feeling defeated by her own urges. _'Is this how Natsu feels when he thinks about drinking?'_ The similarities between them shocked her. She'd much rather them having something else in common instead of their addictions. Both caused self-harm, just in different ways.

"We'll get help," Natsu said, believing in himself for the first time in a long time. "I have my meetings, and maybe we can get you into counseling or something. I don't know, but we'll get better. We'll both get better." He pressed his forehead to hers, closing his eyes just as he saw her fresh tears spill. "I love you, Lucy. We... we can do this."

Lucy looked up at him through her wet eyes, surprised by the confidence laced with his voice. It had her believing him too. A watery smile surfaced on her face as she thought about a better life with Natsu, both being addiction-free. She knew it was dangerous thinking like that, because if they couldn't get better, they'd be crushed. However, she knew it was also good to think this way. She was setting up goals to accomplish, something to look forward to.

Without thinking about it, Lucy leaned in to kiss him. Judging from the instant reaction he gave her, he needed the kiss just as much as she did. When she pulled away, she heard Natsu sigh.

"Lucy..."

"...yes?"

"Can... Can I kiss you again?" The heavy feeling in Natsu's chest almost prevented him from asking what his heart desired most in that moment. It was almost like he could hear her thinking, debating what she wanted to do. Finally she spoke, her voice soft and sweet despite the tears drying on her cheeks.

"Yes."

His arms tightened around her, pressing her against himself. He wanted to show her just how thankful he was to have her in his life, even if words fell short. Her lips tasted sweeter than her voice did as their mouths met again. His kisses were soft and gentle, savoring every second, trying not to alarm her. They were both going through a lot. He just wanted to be closer to her since they both needed comfort after confessing their addictions.

Natsu's hands loosened as one drifted up to softly tangle with her blonde locks. He didn't try to pry her mouth open. Instead he peppered her lips with careful pecks. Lucy responded by putting pressure against him, letting him know it was okay to fully kiss her. He opened his mouth, letting his tongue flick across her plump lips. She slowly opened up, inviting him in.

Truthfully she wanted this too. Talking about their problems was a good start, but she didn't want to continue right now. Instead she wanted to feel the warmth of Natsu's body against hers. They had the rest of their lives to figure out what to do. Natsu was going to his AA meeting tomorrow, and Lucy... well she didn't know what she was going to do. Right now she didn't care. She felt desired when Natsu touched her, so she gave in to the cravings. With him, she almost didn't feel disgusting or damaged.

Natsu's tongue slowly entered Lucy's mouth. Swiping against her own, he made sure to take his time as he explored the hot, wet space he loved. She sighed heavily as he bit on her bottom lip. That's when his hands started to roam.

His right hand was holding her head in place, while his left one was gripping her waist. "Tell me...to stop...if I...do anything...you don't...want me...to do..." Natsu breathed between kisses, not wanting to cross any lines with her. They'd already been intimate before, but that didn't mean he had permission for every time. He wanted to show her that he respected her body.

She felt safe when she was with him, so she left her worries behind. Lucy nodded while her lips were still attached to his. She knew exactly what he was capable of, and knew he'd respect her wishes if she didn't want this.

Who was she kidding though? She definitely wanted it!

Her hands cupped his cheeks, smoothing her thumb over his newest scar. It had been healed for a while, leaving behind a jagged piece of raised flesh. She'd be lying if she said she didn't think it made him look hot. It also made him look dangerous, and that was attractive all on its own.

Lucy didn't understand it herself. The scar on his face didn't repulse her, but the scars on her body made her feel hideous. She only hoped that Natsu was able to look past the cuts to see her for who she really was. She didn't want him to think she was ruined.

If only she could read his mind. Natsu didn't think she was ruined, either from her scars or from her husband's abuse. He loved her for the person she was. Her beauty was just an added bonus. His heart would forever be ensnared by Lucy Heartfilia.

Natsu's hand felt like fire as it finally made contact with her skin. His knuckles brushed against her flesh as he unbuttoned her shirt. Well, it was technically _his_ shirt, but at this point he didn't care. She could have everything of his and he wouldn't mind.

When her hands touched his, he froze. _'Have I already pushed her too far?'_

Natsu anticipated her to make him stop, but was stunned when she helped him undo the last of the buttons. Her shirt fell open, exposing herself to the pink haired man. He pulled away from her kissable lips to view the beautiful woman on his lap.

He loved the sight before him. The way her face and chest flushed, how a few beads of sweat dripped from her forehead, how her eyes hooded, she was gorgeous. He admired everything about her, not caring if he saw scars on her stomach. She was beautiful to him, no matter what.

Natsu looked around, remembering that they were on her father's porch. The estate was far enough away that neighbors couldn't see them, so that was good enough for him. Part of him feared that Jude or Virgo might come to check on them, but that wasn't enough to make him stop. Lucy was willing, and he wanted her.

With shaky fingers, he opened her jeans. Once again, she didn't protest. His lips sought out her collarbone. It was quickly becoming one of his favorite spots on Lucy to play with. His teeth scraped against her skin, asking permission.

With a breathy sigh, she answered. "Please..."

Sharp teeth sunk into her flesh just as his left hand awkwardly slipped into her jeans. The angle was odd, but he made it work. His fingers bypassed her wet panties and found her bundle of nerves.

One hand rubbed her clit feverishly while the other pushed her bra up to reveal her breasts. He sucked her skin, knowing he was making the pale flesh darken into a beautiful red mark. He wanted to be the only one to ever leave marks on Lucy's body again.

He swore on his own life he would do whatever he could to make that happen.

" _A-aha_... _ngh_..." Lucy arched her back as his expert fingers worked wonders on her nub. She whimpered loudly, so he had to keep her quiet. Even if no one could see them, he didn't want anyone in the house to hear them. "... _ooohhh Natsuuu_... Please... Keep touching me..."

The way his name rolled off her tongue made him almost black out from the intense pleasure coursing through his body. She was begging for more, and he aimed to deliver.

Her heady moans created so many lecherous thoughts. Instead of simply telling her to lower her volume, he silenced her with his lips. He swallowed every moan she offered, loving the way it made his mouth vibrate. His manhood was fully erect now, wishing she could rub against his erection. Unfortunately with the position they were in, she wasn't able to.

The man's greedy fingers on his right hand pinched and rolled her nipple, loving the mewls escaping her parted lips. Lucy bucked against the hot fingers in her pants, wanting... no, _needing_ more friction. Her hands tangled in his hair, pulling his face closer to her.

Lucy's generous breasts heaved up and down as her breathing became ragged. Her supple skin brushing against his fingers as they tirelessly worked on one of her perky buds.

Natsu's hot tongue danced with hers, trying to keep her from whimpering too loud when her legs started to shake. He knew she was close, and he was determined to send her over the edge.

Kissing her with all the passion he could muster, teasing her erect nipple, and rubbing her soaked clit was enough to make the blonde beauty come undone right there on his lap. A rapturous feeling tore through every fiber of her being while she rode out her orgasm.

Natsu continued his pleasurable assault on her body, making her feel an all-time high before having to come back down to reality. When she stopped convulsing on top of him, he pulled away. His fingers slipped out of her panties and away from her body as she whimpered at the loss of contact.

The pink haired man brought his wet fingers up to his face, letting them both smell her arousal. She was embarrassed, but strangely turned on by how hungry his eyes gleamed at the smell. She barely saw his mouth part as his tongue snaked out to flick over his cum-covered fingers.

Lucy let out a soft gasp as her face reddened. She was hoping he couldn't see her shocked expression as he pressed the fingers into his mouth. Natsu moaned at the taste, wishing he could lick directly from the source, but knowing they probably should be heading back in soon. They'd been outside for a while. He was sure their food was cold by now and the others were probably wondering where they went.

He let out an, " _mmmm_ " followed by, "you taste so _fucking good_."

Chills ran down Lucy's spine despite the warm body against her. Natsu captured Lucy's lips, letting her taste herself through his mouth. Both of them felt a rush of heat flare through their bones. Natsu hadn't meant to be so forward, but he was glad he did. The blonde's tongue invaded his mouth with one mission in mind: Taste everything before it fades away.

Her smaller hands roamed down his chest, dragging along his abs through his shirt, and settling on his crotch. She could feel the large cock, and she wanted to set it free. Struggling to unzip his pants left Natsu enough time to regain some common sense.

"Lucy... stop." It didn't even sound like he wanted her to, which he didn't. However he knew they had spent a lot of time outside, and he was lucky enough not to get caught up until this point.

"Why?" She asked breathlessly.

"We shouldn't. At least not here." He said, looking around at her father's porch, but still seeing nobody else.

"Oh... Right..." She bit her bottom lip, wondering if her father would find it suspicious that they disappeared for so long. She also wondered if she could pass on dinner and go straight to her old room with Natsu to continue what they started.

"Let's uh... Get cleaned up..." Natsu said, placing his hands on her waist.

"Probably a good idea..." It was her only response, a blush dusting over her face.

While still straddling his lap, she buttoned her shirt up. Natsu fumbled with her jeans before her hands took over to close them up. He helped her get her balance as she stood up over him. He had to do a weird roll to stand up. The tent in his pants was very noticeable.

"Oh... Do you need to..." The redness on her cheeks intensified as she looked at the bulge, her own lewd thoughts forming from the possibilities of what she could do with him and that thick cock of his.

"I'm fine. Just uh, give me a minute to clear my head." His erection throbbed painfully as his boxers felt like the itchiest material he'd ever come into contact with. As he adjusted his pants to lessen the discomfort, he tried to think about unsexy things in an attempt to end his suffering. He went through his usual list of unappealing things with no luck. His dick was still as hard as a rock.

"Sorry, by the way," Natsu said, hand coming up to cup the back of his neck. He felt the sweat between his skin, letting him know that he really got himself worked up a few moments ago.

"For what?" Lucy asked as she finished straightening up her shirt. She feared he was going to tell her that he was sorry for confiding in her, but what he said surprised her.

The pink haired man's lips twisted in what looked like a grimace, "that was probably a horrible time for _that_..." He realized a little too late just how inappropriate he was by initiating a sex act right after they finished crying. "I shoulda waited until we were both better."

Lucy nodded, "it probably wasn't a good time, but there's nothing we can do about it now." She took a step closer to him, hand coming up to touch the scar on his cheek before she caressed his face. "Besides, I wanted it too. It surprisingly made me feel better."

Natsu grinned, leaning into her touch. "Are you sure that's not the orgasm talking?"

A small laugh escaped her lips. "I suppose it might have had something to do with it, but I still enjoyed it."

"I guess that's all that matters," he said, hands coming up to rest on her curvy hips. "I promise I'll think more about it before doing something like that again. I don't want you to ever feel like you have to go along with it just 'cause I do."

Lucy looked up at his green eyes. "I will let you know if I don't want you to touch me." That was something she could guarantee. She'd screamed for Jackal to stop so many times just to be ignored. She believed in her heart Natsu wouldn't pressure her into something she wasn't comfortable with. That was the only thing she had to rely on. Trust. _'I hope he doesn't break it...'_

She took a deep breath, eyes softening as she looked at Natsu's face. "We're seriously the king and queen of horrible timing." He laughed, not able to argue with her there.

Lucy stepped into his touch, causing him to wrap his arms around her shoulders to keep her close. "But as long as I get to be _your queen_ , I don't mind." She sighed, breathing in Natsu's smell. "We should talk more about what we have to do later. I think I've cried enough for one day."

"Yeah," he nodded, then rested his chin on the crown of her head. "I agree. You should get something to eat."

"You too," Lucy said, poking his firm belly. "Can't have you withering away on me."

Natsu was about to laugh when he heard the sound of boots stepping on pavement. He looked over, taking in a sharp breath at what he saw. Lucy looked up at him, seeing his green eyes widen. She glanced in the direction he was looking, fear striking her as she saw the man who caused her mental and physical torture for the last four years.

Jackal stopped a few feet in front of them, crossing his arms over his chest. Lucy stammered, thrown off my his presence. "Y-you can't be h-here!"

Her husband gave a wicked grin at her distress, a dark glint flashing in his eyes. She felt the urge to throw up and her heart sink into her stomach as he took a step closer to her, but she remained still, frozen in fear.

With a malicious tone, Jackal laughed, "but I just want to talk to my wife."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for being patient for this update. This story gets more difficult to write with every chapter. (I will finish it though. I finish all my stories.)
> 
> Thank you for the kudos/hits! Shout out to those who commented: Natsuu and Miraculous_kid!!
> 
> Up next, Chapter Thirteen: Never gonna let you go
> 
> Let me know what you thought of this chapter, or if you have any suggestions.
> 
> .
> 
> Announcement: I won't go on hiatus, but I will be splitting up my time from writing two stories to three stories, that means slightly later updates. I'm writing a multi-chapter story for NALU Love Fest towards the end of October and I need to focus on that to get it done in time. I have 3 out of 9 chapters done, but it's taking so long to finish them. If anyone's interested, be warned, it's rated M for smut. (It is love fest after all). It's going to be a sequel to 'Hakobe Ice'. For those interested, the first chapter goes up Oct 12th. Fingers crossed that I can finish the story on time.


	13. Never gonna let you go

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Possible trigger warnings- Violence and mentions of self-harm.

**Chapter Thirteen: Never gonna let you go**

"Y-you can't be h-here!"

Jackal gave a wicked grin at her distress, a dark glint flashing in his eyes. She felt the urge to puke, her heart sinking into her stomach as he took a step closer to her, but she remained still, frozen in fear.

In a malicious tone, Jackal laughed, "but I just want to talk to my wife."

"Lucy, go inside," Natsu said, stepping in front of her.

Jackal groused, "go away Dragneel, this doesn't concern you."

"I think it does," he wouldn't let this man anywhere near Lucy again, not after what he saw and heard. He'd die before he let something like that happen again.

Jackal took another step closer, earning a growl from the pink haired man. "Stay away from her! Lucy, get inside!"

"You can't tell her what to do!" Jackal sneered.

"That's real funny coming from you!"

"She's my wife! I'm allowed to-"

"No! You're not!" Natsu bared his teeth, ready to defend Lucy if Jackal got any closer. "You're not even supposed to be here."

"A piece of paper isn't going to stop me from seeing her. Come on Lucy, let's go."

Natsu's resolve didn't break. "She's not going anywhere with you."

"Oh yeah?" Jackal crossed his arms over his chest. "And who's gonna stop me?"

There was no hesitation in Natsu's voice. "I will."

Jackal raised a brow. "Is that a threat?"

"It's whatever you need it to be. Just get the hell outta here before this gets ugly," Natsu stole a glance back, wondering why Lucy just stood there with a frightened face. He was about to tell her to go inside again, but Jackal's voice rang through the air first.

"I think you _are_ threatening me. My lawyer would love to hear about this."

Natsu glared. "Tell him whatever you want, as long as it's away from here. Now leave!"

"I don't think so," Jackal said, taking a step closer to the two.

Natsu stepped off the porch and away from Lucy. He stopped less than a foot away from the other man, "Look, as much as I want to beat the shit out of you, I'd rather not do something we'll both regret."

Jackal gave a feral grin before calmly saying, "too late."

Lucy was still frozen, her mind drawing a blank. She hadn't expected to see Jackal so soon, her heartbeat doubled as she waited for her mind to clear. She vaguely heard Natsu yell something, but it went through one ear and right out the other. Only when she heard the sound of skin smacking skin did her mind start to focus on the present.

Natsu stumbled back, trying to keep himself steady. Lucy blinked, slowly becoming aware of her surroundings. She looked up, seeing Jackal drawing his fist back. "Get away from her!"

Jackal went to punch Natsu again, but he blocked it this time, then delivered a punch to the other male's stomach. Lucy panicked, not sure what to do. Her first instinct was to stop them, but she knew better than to get between them right now.

Realizing she had one option, she quickly pulled out her phone to call the police. Her shaky fingers fumbled with the buttons, messing up a few times before she finally got the right number. As she brought the phone up to her ear, she saw Jackal punch Natsu low in the gut, causing him to groan in pain.

Lucy closed her eyes, not wanting to see the violence. She heard the line ring once before someone answered the phone. "911, what's your emergency?"

When she opened her mouth to speak, nothing came out. She struggled, her throat strained as she tried to get the words out. "H-he's b-back!"

"Ma'am? Who's back?"

Lucy clenched her jaw, her voice gone for the moment. Once she heard the operator say, "hello?" the doors to the estate flung open.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Jude's voice boomed as he took in the sight of the two men fighting on his property. "Jackal!"

Said man looked up to see his father-in-law on the porch. It wasn't enough to keep his attention as he went to jab Natsu in the side.

Jude felt a vein on his forehead throb. "Just because her name is spelled wrong doesn't mean the protective order isn't valid! Get the hell off my property before I call the police."

Jackal stopped his punch halfway through. "Her name's spelled wrong?"

Before he could get an answer, a fist connected with his nose, sending him falling back on his butt. "Damn! That fucking hurt, you dick!"

Natsu said something in response, but Lucy barely heard it over the voice on the phone. "Ma'am, I need you to tell me what your emergency is."

Lucy turned back to see her father and Virgo behind her. She tore the phone away from her ear and shoved it in her father's hands, trusting him to know what to do since she was in no condition to be talking. Her brain was shattering, a darkness leaking in the longer she was around Jackal's hateful presence.

Jude acted fast, telling the operator the details surrounding the call. Lucy watched her father speak, then felt something wrapping around her torso. She glanced over, seeing Virgo trying to get her to go inside. Lucy's feet remained planted on the ground, not able to move on her own accord yet.

She heard a yell, drawing her attention towards the two fighting men to see Jackals foot kicking Natsu's knee. He fell to the ground, his knee throbbing in pain even as he clutched it. Jackal used this to his advantage, kicking Natsu hard in the chest to get him on his back.

Natsu brought his arms up to protect his face as Jackal got on top of him, delivering punch after punch. The only clear thought running through his mind in the heat of the fight was, _'his fists hit Lucy.'_ Natsu struck back, hitting Jackal straight in the nose. He vaguely heard a crunch sound, but it was drowned out by Jackal's screams.

Jackal rose to his feet, then swiftly kicked Natsu in the gut as punishment. His nose dripped with blood, sweat covering both males from their fight. Natsu tried to get up, but Jackal kicked him again, this time in the side.

Natsu yelled, the pain already getting to him, but he couldn't give up now. He grabbed Jackal's foot just as he was about to kick him again, keeping it firmly planted on the ground, thinking he got the upper hand.

He was very wrong.

In the blink of an eye, Natsu felt the worst pain he'd ever experienced in his entire life. He screamed, but it barely came out as a whisper as he felt his insides burn.

Lucy jerked in Virgo's arms, trying to get to Natsu. She saw the way Jackal stomped his foot on the left side of Natsu's torso, seeing the look of sheer happiness in that monster's eyes as Natsu tried to shout out in pain. Virgo wouldn't let her go, fearing the same fate would fall on Lucy if she did.

Natsu's hands let go of Jackal's foot. He grabbed where Jackal stomped him, but that only made the pain intensify. He tried to breathe, but it was becoming difficult. He wheezed, feeling the air slip away from him, just out of his grasp.

"That seemed to put you down," Jackal laughed, though his voice sounded odd with his nose injury. His nose was crooked, clearly broken from the punch Natsu delivered. "Now, Lucy..."

Said girl stopped struggling against Virgo's hold when she heard her name called. Fear took over again when those dark eyes landed on her.

"Let's talk," Jackal said, his voice strained as he tried to keep his anger at bay. "Please just come with me. I just need you to drop these silly charges, and then you can go free."

The blonde woman gulped, seeing he was being serious. Her heart felt like it would explode in her chest, her breathing quickening to keep up with the pace. She didn't say anything. She couldn't, not with his gaze trained on her.

Jackal grew impatient. "Just... Just come with me! I promise I won't hurt you if you just cooperate."

Jude was still on the phone with the emergency line, but he didn't utter a single word. He didn't want to set Jackal off, because his daughter would be the one to pay the price. He knew for a fact he wouldn't be able to take Jackal on in a fight. If Natsu couldn't... Then he didn't see very much hope. He just hoped the lady was being truthful when she said police would be there shortly to break it up.

"Well?" Jackal took a step closer to the porch, sending a cold chill down Lucy's spine.

Natsu desperately wanted to do something to stop Jackal, but he could barely move without feeling more pain. It felt like something was ripping away at his body from the inside, his breathing become nothing more than pathetic, shallow gasps for air. He didn't know what was wrong with him. He'd been kicked many times before, but nothing like this had ever happened.

Natsu tried once more to move, but it was fruitless. The only thing he managed to do was piss off Jackal again. The pink haired man flinched when he felt pressure on his throat. He looked up to see what was wrong, though his vision was blurry. He barely made out Jackal's face looking down at him as the pressure increased.

It was the last thing he saw before he passed out.

"Natsu!" Lucy finally found her voice when she saw Jackal step on Natsu's neck. It didn't take a genius to know that was dangerous. "Please! Let him go!"

"Will you come with me then?"

"Yes!" She said without blinking an eye. She would do anything if it meant Jackal stopped hurting Natsu.

"Lucy, don't go with him," Jude pleaded, the phone still pressed against his ear. "Please reconsider."

"I can't," Lucy said, her heart hammering as her body sweat from her nerves. She didn't want to go with Jackal. Every bone in her body screamed at her, trying to keep her still, but her feet moved anyway. She couldn't bear to see Natsu go through this anymore.

What was worse was he had stopped making noises, and that frightened her far more than Jackal ever could.

Jackal watched with sadistic satisfaction as his wife slowly moved towards him. He still kept his foot on Natsu's neck, feeling joyful that he was able to defeat the man who tried to steal his woman.

Lucy looked down, seeing Natsu's eyes closed, his chest no longer rising or falling. She didn't want to, but her mind assumed the worst. _'Is he...'_ She stopped, tears flooding her eyes as she realized Natsu was probably gone...

...Forever this time.

Just as Jackal was about to reach out and grab Lucy's arm, he heard the sound of a voice shouting behind him. "Crocus PD!" One moment Jackal was standing, the next he was tackled to the ground, his body held down as someone above started shouting.

"Jackal Tartaros, you are under arrest for violating a protective order. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say-" Officer Eucliffe read him his rights while Officer Agria ran over to the man laying on the ground. She started shouting orders for someone to call an ambulance as she kneeled beside him.

Jude was still on the phone, telling the operator what was going on while Lucy dropped to her knees on the other side of Natsu. She watched as the officer placed her fingers on his neck. "Is-" She couldn't finish the sentence, too terrified of the answer. _'No... He can't be-'_

"He's alive," she said, taking her hand away from his throat. "But his heart rate is too fast." Officer Agria looked at his face, seeing he was more pale than before. "What happened to him?"

"Th-they were fighting," Lucy said, her voice trembling. "Jackal kicked and stomped on him, and he stopped moving."

The officer glanced down at his torso. Without hesitating, she pulled out a pocket knife, cutting a hole into his shirt before ripping it apart. Lucy gasped when she saw the nasty bruise already forming on Natsu's body, right where Jackal's foot landed on him. It looked far worst than a simple punch or kick hit him.

Officer Agria cursed under her breath. "I think he fractured his rib," she leaned in, her ear hovering over Natsu's opened mouth. She heard nothing, which wasn't a good sign.

As if by miracle, the ambulance's siren rang in the background. The female officer stood up, grabbing Lucy to get her away from Natsu's body. Lucy protested, screaming and struggling to get back to Natsu. The officer's hold was stronger, keeping the frantic girl away from the injured man.

Once the ambulance pulled up, people came out, all gathering around Natsu to check his condition. A male paramedic immediately looked down at the bruise on Natsu's body, then up at the officer. "What happened?"

Officer Agria responded calmly, years of training helping to keep her cool under the pressure. "He was in a fight. When we came up he was already down. She says he was kicked. I think he might have a rib fracture."

The paramedic nodded, then looked back down at the man on the ground. "Sir!" He yelled at Natsu, trying to see if he was responsive. When he didn't get an answer back, the man grabbed Natsu's hand, then pressed hard on his fingernails.

Once again Natsu didn't respond. "He's unconscious!" The man yelled. As he began checking to see if Natsu was breathing, other paramedics started bringing out a stretcher. Lucy stopped trying to get away from the female officer, realizing they were only trying to help Natsu. She had no medical experience herself, so she felt useless in that moment, only able to watch on the sidelines as they tried to fix whatever was wrong with him.

Lucy turned her head when she heard shouting. She saw Officer Eucliffe and another officer bringing Jackal to a police car. They roughly threw him in, then slammed the door behind him. Jackal yelled, though his voice sounded muffled since he was in the car.

Her eyes were ripped away from the scene when she heard a loud scream. Lucy looked back at Natsu, seeing he was awake again, but in bad shape. The paramedics were lifting him up onto a stretcher as he tried to struggle away.

Natsu's eyes slammed shut as he tried to breathe. The paramedics asked him questions, but he couldn't hear anything, only the roaring of his blood in his ears. He'd never been in this much pain in his life. It felt like something tore through everything in his side, leaving behind a burning sensation that kept spreading.

He opened his eyes, but is vision was already starting to dim around the edges again as the pain set in. He looked up, eyes somehow finding Lucy through all the chaos. He saw her shout something, but he couldn't hear her. His eyes slowly started to close, the pain vanishing as he lost consciousness. He opened his mouth, trying to tell her not to worry, but nothing escaped his lips as he passed out.

"NATSU!" Lucy shrieked when the man's eyes closed. If it weren't for the officer holding her back, she would have tried to shake him awake despite the paramedics being there. She barely heard the sound of more sirens in the distance because all her focus was on Natsu's face. Even in sleep, his expression looked pained.

Everything after Natsu closing his eyes was a blur to her.

She watched as people who loaded Natsu onto the stretcher brought him to the back of an ambulance. Officer Agria made the mistake of loosening her grip, giving Lucy a chance to escape. She ran towards Natsu's body, jumping into the ambulance before they could close the doors.

Seeing as time was precious, they allowed her to stay as the vehicle took off.

There were no jokes about his motion sickness... No groans of protests as the vehicle hit a bump down the road... Only the sound of the paramedics working to keep Natsu alive for the travel was heard.

When the vehicle stopped, the doors flew open. Lucy hopped out, then more people came to help get Natsu out of the ambulance and into the hospital. She followed them, not knowing what else to do. They brought Natsu down a hall, wheeled him through some double doors, then stepped in Lucy's way to stop her from entering.

She shouted against them, hoping it would change their minds, but they stayed firm, telling her she couldn't go through. It took two security officers to come over to finally get her to stop yelling. Two men escorted her to the waiting room, telling her to sit.

Lucy defiantly stood next to a chair in the corner of the room. She didn't notice the looks people gave her, or the murmuring around the area about the crying girl. She didn't even know she was crying. Her mind was almost blank, with only one thing passing through her mind.

_'I can't lose him...'_

* * *

Back at Jude's estate, the police were investigating what happened. Officer Eucliffe had Jackal in cuffs, once again sitting in the back of a cop car. Once secure, he went up to the owner of the mansion to ask what happened as the ambulance rushed Natsu's body away to the hospital.

"Virgo and I were eating dinner, then we heard yelling from outside," Jude pinched his brow, trying to sort out everything. "It all happened so fast. My daughter handed me her phone so I could tell the lady what was going on, then the next thing I know Jackal has Natsu on the ground and then you guys showed up."

The officer took notes as Jude spoke. "Are there any other witnesses besides your maid and daughter?"

Jude was about to shake his head before he realized something. "Security tapes!"

"Excuse me?"

"Follow me," Jude started, quickly walking back into the house. The officer followed, motioning for another officer to come with him. They walked to Jude's study where he had his computer hooked up.

"I have security cameras set up. One of them had to have seen something."

"We'll take it from here," Officer Eucliffe said, taking a seat at the desk.

Jude instructed him on how to get to the security program, then the officer shuffled through the cameras until they found one of the porch. The current image showed the porch, but nothing else. "Is there another angle?"

Jude shook his head. "That's the last camera. It has audio though. Will that work?"

"That might help," Officer Eucliffe told the other policeman to take the files for evidence. It may be enough to convict Jackal, but it all depends on what was recorded.

Jude allowed the police to seize his computer, even though it contained sensitive information about his business. He didn't care at the moment, only hoping it was enough to put Jackal away. He hurt his daughter, and that was unacceptable.

As Jude walked back to the porch, he sighed. He did feel bad that Natsu got hurt trying to help Lucy. He felt conflicted, wanting to think Natsu wasn't good enough for Lucy, but also wanting to thank him for what he did. Even if he lost the fight, he stalled Jackal long enough for the police to get there, saving Lucy from going away with that abusive man.

Jude mulled over his thoughts as the police continued their investigation. Officer Agria came up to Jude, handed him a piece of paper, though he barely heard what she said. "This is the corrected protective order. We came by to give it to Lucy, but then we got a flat tire down the road, so we-" Jude tuned her out, wondering what would have happened if the officers hadn't shown up when they did.

Would Lucy be injured as well?

Would she be taken away?

Would he have ever seen her again?

Jude didn't want to think about it. He nodded to the officer, then went back inside to finish off his glass of wine from dinner. He glanced over, seeing the two plates of untouched food. _'Why couldn't he just leave Lucy alone?'_ He wanted to put all the blame on Jackal, but he knew he was partially to blame too. He should have checked in on his daughter more often, seen how she was doing...

He didn't want to admit that he hadn't really cared all that much. Ever since Layla fell sick, all he did was throw himself into his business. Then after the merger with Jackal's company, things just got tougher. He didn't have time to- No, that was a lie. He could have made time to see his daughter.

The truth was it was just too hard to see Lucy, because she looked just like Layla. She was a painful reminder of his wife, slowly dying at the hospital. He visited his wife more often than he saw his daughter, always going to visit her when he knew Lucy wouldn't be there.

So many wasted years...

All because he couldn't handle seeing Lucy's face...

Jude threw the wine glass across the room, letting the glass shatter against the wall. An officer ran in to see what the commotion was about, but quickly dismissed it as an old man succumbing to his anger. Jude was left alone to wallow in his misery and self-doubts.

* * *

"You've gotta be fucking kidding me?" Officer Eucliffe shook his head, "there's no way he's getting another emergency arraignment."

"I'm not kidding," Officer Agria said. She tried to keep her voice calm so she didn't upset her partner. "It starts in twenty minutes."

It had been over an hour since they arrested Jackal and brought him into custody. One of the best lawyers in Fiore, Mard Geer, had managed to get _another_ arraignment for his client, on a Saturday no less!

"I know it's not fair, but there's not much we can do," she had already accepted that the law wasn't perfect, no matter how much she wished it was.

"Hey Yukino..." Sting couldn't meet her eyes as he asked, "how's that guy doing?" He felt guilt settle in the pit of his stomach. If he'd only gotten there sooner, that man wouldn't have been hurt.

Yukino's face fell. "Last I heard he was in the hospital. That's all anyone knows right now."

Sting knew it was risky to feel hope, but a little spark of it bubbled up anyway. "At least he's away from harm now."

"That's true," she nodded, hoping he would make it out well.

If he died then Jackal would be charged with murder, and his chances of getting away with everything would be slim to none, but no life was worth that. She'd rather have a difficult case than see an innocent person killed.

"Can you believe that asshole was throwing a bitch fit about his nose?" Sting sighed. "He's just lucky a paramedic took care of him. I woulda let him sit like that all day if I had the choice."

She looked at her partner, seeing the officer's blue eyes duller than usual. He was always cheerful, a little arrogant, but it was amusing. She hated seeing him like this. Yukino walked up, placing a hand on the male's arm. "Sting..." Said man glanced over, meeting her gaze. "Go home. There's nothing else you can do today anyways."

Sting ground his teeth together, knowing she was right. He was just so angry. None of this should have happened. It was supposed to be a simple domestic case, now it was assault that put someone in the hospital. If the suspect was anyone else, it'd be a piece of cake, but Jackal had Mard Geer for a lawyer. That man was known for his silver tongue and his flawless record.

Honestly Sting didn't think that Lucy girl had a chance.

With a deep sigh, he nodded. "You're right... Do you have to transport Jackal?"

"No," she shook her head, taking her arm off her partner. "But I am going to go see what happens."

"Text me the details?"

"I will."

"Thanks," Sting gathered his things, waving at her once more before making his way to the exit. He saw Detective Rogue Cheney in a room going through the evidence found at the Heartfilia' estate.

He peeked in, softly knocking on the wall to catch the black haired man's attention. "Find anything useful?"

"There's one thing, but I'm not sure if it will be enough," Rogue transferred a file from Jude's computer to a laptop for easier delivery. "I'm heading to the arraignment now."

"Do you think you can keep him from getting bond?"

Rogue looked up, his red eyes absent of enthusiasm over his findings. "I sure hope so..."

* * *

It was dark in Lucy's mind. She forbid herself from thinking, knowing it would only lead to worrying, which would lead to panicking, and now wasn't the ideal time to panic. However, even though she forbid it, her mind still produced horrible thoughts and scenarios.

She picked at her wrists, wishing she had a sharp blade to drag across the thin skin. She hadn't felt an urge this powerful in a long time, but it was keeping her thoughts away from Natsu for the moment, so she allowed them to stay.

Lucy's fingernails weren't enough to break her skin, but it did cause the pale flesh to turn a dark pink. She wanted to punish herself for being so stupid, so reckless, so useless.

 _'If I didn't go back to Magnolia... Natsu would be fine...'_ She grimaced, already hearing herself think that many more times before. She felt sick, her stomach twisting as the seconds slowly ticked by. She had no idea how much time had passed since she arrived at the hospital.

 _'He didn't deserve this... I'm not worth it...'_ Her fingernail dug into her skin, worrying the flesh as she gnawed on her bottom lip. _'It's all my fault...'_

Lucy could feel herself spiraling down, but she didn't attempt to stop it. 'I deserve this, not him... Why did he have to try to protect me? Why does he always try to protect me?'

"Who was trying to protect you?"

Lucy's eyes snapped over a few chairs down, seeing a small boy looking at her. She guessed she said that last part out loud, catching the attention of the nearest person to her. Lucy opened her mouth, fully prepared to tell the boy it was nothing, and that he should pay her no mind, but no words came from her mouth.

She swallowed hard, feeling a lump forming in her throat. Her red cheeks were coated in wet and dried tears, her body shaking as she became more grounded to reality.

Luckily for her, she didn't have to answer the little boy's question. A woman who appeared to be his mother told him to stop bothering strangers, then offered Lucy an apology.

She could only nod, letting a few more tears spring loose to tumble down her face. She was a wreck, but she didn't care. No amount of embarrassment was enough to take her mind off her problems.

She hated being in this hospital. The last time she was here was when her mother passed away. It felt like yesterday she was saying goodbye to her mom, wishing upon every star in the sky that she could have just a little more time. It was a useless wish, just like herself.

Lucy was about to start scratching at her wrists again when she heard a voice ask, "is anyone here for Natsu Dragneel?"

Lucy stood up so fast she got lightheaded. "M-me!" She stumbled, walking up to a young woman in a white coat.

She met Lucy's eyes, then said, "I'm Dr. Vanderwood. Are you the woman who rode in with him?"

Lucy nodded quickly. "Yes!"

"Are you family?"

Lucy cringed, unsure what would happen if she said no. The doctor seemed to sense her reason for hesitating. "You can still see him, even if you're not family."

"He's alive!" Lucy bypassed what she said, only holding onto the knowledge she needed.

"He is," Dr. Vanderwood allowed herself a small smile. "He's recovering now. He had pneumothorax." When she saw Lucy's blank face, she said, "his lung was punctured by a broken rib."

"His rib broke?" Lucy asked, her body still shaking and her heart pounding wildly in her chest.

The doctor nodded. "Two ribs on his left side are broken, while one is fractured. One of the broken ones punctured his lung."

Lucy's eyes widened. "Is he okay?!"

"He's fine," Dr. Vanderwood assured. "Without giving too many details, I can say everything went routine. We used a needle to take out the excess air building up around his lung. We want to keep him for at least the night to make sure he's doing well. With rest he should heal up nicely without needing surgery, but we're prepared for if that happens."

"Surgery?" The word seemed to stun Lucy.

"That's only if we need to, but it doesn't look like that will be an issue. The lung is a powerful organ that usually heals up on its own."

Lucy could feel some weight lifted from her shoulders. Natsu was fine! He was going to live! Her happiness ended when she realized something. "Why did he pass out then?"

The woman seemed to understand Lucy's confusion. "It could be from a number of reasons. The paramedics reported that he wasn't breathing correctly when they arrived, so it might have been from that. It could also be from dehydration or exhaustion. That alone can lead to fainting. When was the last time he had a good amount of water or rest?"

Lucy's brows furrowed as she tried to think. She hadn't seen him drink anything since... The road trip, but even then he only drank energy drinks... Those couldn't be good for him. They were mainly made of sugar and supplements! And rest... Well technically he slept in the car, but she couldn't really count that as 'rest'.

"Friday morning..." Lucy said, feeling horrible for admitting that. "We were on the road all day yesterday..."

"I see. Well that would explain why he passed out. The human body can only withstand so much. Especially after fighting," Dr. Vanderwood was already briefed on why the man was admitted to the hospital.

"Can I see him?" Lucy asked, her voice pleading as she looked past the woman in front of her to the double doors she wasn't allowed to go through earlier.

The doctor paused, debating it for a moment. "He's asleep right now, but I don't see why not. Come with me."

Lucy thanked her, then followed her through the doors and down some halls. Her heart felt heavier with every step, hoping what Dr. Vanderwood said was true. _'She said he's fine, so he's fine...'_ Still, she had her doubts. How often had she been lied to in her life? How often had life been a cruel and heartless bitch?

The internal debate carried on until the doctor stopped in front of a closed door. "He's in there," she said, then knocked softly. When there was no response, she stepped out of the way. "He'll probably sleep for a while."

Dr. Vanderwood opened the door, pushing it a few inches for Lucy. "If you need anything just ask a nurse."

Lucy nodded, then watched as she walked away. She glanced back at the door, feeling nervous to see him, but she had to! She had to find out if he was alright. Slowly, Lucy moved forward, opening the door more with every passing second.

The first thing she saw was the edge of the hospital bed. Memories of her last time with her mom flooded to the front of her mind, but she pushed them back, not allowing herself to drown in them right now. She had to be strong for Natsu, no matter how much it hurt her inside.

Lucy stepped into the room and closed the door before she could talk herself out of it. Her eyes were shut, terrified of seeing the damage done to Natsu. Minutes passed by before she gathered the courage to finally look at him.

When she did, she gasped.

Bruises littered his face and neck. His right eye was swollen, turning a darker color that would likely result in a black eye. His bottom lip was split and his sweaty bangs were pinned back to keep them away from his eyes.

Lucy took a hesitant step closer, seeing that he was in fact asleep. The steady rise and fall of his chest showed he was breathing, letting Lucy relax a little. _'She said he was fine...'_ She reminded herself as she walked to the right side of bed since she knew he was hurt on his other side.

She pulled up a seat, but waited a minute before finally sitting down. She didn't feel like she deserved to be in the same room as Natsu, let alone sit at his bedside! She felt sick to her stomach, knowing she caused this. _'Why Natsu? Why did you have to get hurt for me? I'm not worth it...'_

Lucy swallowed thickly, her shaky hand slowly moving to grab his limp one resting on the bed. His skin felt warm on her hand, giving her a sense of comfort. She didn't think anything could take away his warmth.

She looked at his battered face, remembering all the times her own reflection looked like that. Jackal could strike hard. In all her years, he never pulled his punches. She wasn't surprised he didn't hold back for his fight with Natsu either.

"I'm sorry," Lucy whispered, wondering if he could even hear her. She read that coma patients can hear when people talk to them, but she didn't know if that applied to sleeping people as well. It was worth a shot, seeing as she had nothing else to do but beg for his forgiveness.

"I promise I never meant to get you hurt..." Her thumb rubbed over the top of his hand, wishing desperately that he'd give her some type of response. Even though she knew he wouldn't, it still hurt when he didn't move.

"I thought he was really going to kill you," she admitted, more to herself than him. She had thought he was going to crush Natsu's throat which would have killed him for sure. She remembered being so scared, so she could only imagine how he felt actually experiencing it.

"I'm never gonna let you go," Lucy vowed, squeezing his hand. She rested her forehead on the bed, tears slipping down her face as she took shaky breaths. She wasn't used to being the strong one, but she would adapt to the new role if it meant being there for Natsu. Lucy felt like he deserved better than her, but he wanted to be with her, so she would stay despite knowing he'd be better off without her.

She wasn't sure how long she cried, but the room remaining silent aside from her random sniffles the entire time. Her head throbbed as a headache set in. She felt the exhaustion from the past few days weigh down on her, lulling her to rest. She closed her watery eyes, feeling her body grow heavier as she drifted to sleep.

Lucy had no idea how long she was asleep, but she slowly woke up when she felt an odd sensation on her hand. She barely opened her stinging eyes, allowing the light to seep in as she tried to figure out what that feeling was.

A few seconds went by with no sensations, so she closed her eyes again, trying to go back to sleep. Just before she finally slipped away, she felt the hand she was holding squeeze hers back.

Lucy jolted up, eyes searching until they found those emerald orbs. A gasp passed through her lips as she fought back new tears of joy. Natsu was awake! He stared back at her with hooded eyes. His skin was still pale with bruises decorating his face, but his small grin was genuine. "Hey Luce," he whispered, his voice rough from sleep.

Lucy smiled, her heart leaping in her chest at the sight of Natsu up. She couldn't say anything, too shocked to speak. Natsu didn't mind, his head still cloudy and his vision a little hazy. His eyes flitted over to the window, seeing the sun starting to set. "Man..." He started, feeling like he'd been hit by a train. "I think I'm gonna miss my AA meeting..."

Lucy couldn't help but giggle at the sheepish smile gracing his lips. She stood up to move closer to him, then pressed a soft kiss to his lips, savoring the feeling of his warm skin on hers despite the cut on his lip. When she pulled away, she whispered back, "I think you're right."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry it took me three weeks to get you the next chapter! Not only was I busy with nalu love fest, but I struggled over the direction of this story. I wanted something realistic, but not over the top. Out of all the options I considered, I think this one is the best for this story.
> 
> I did a ton of research for this chapter, but if you find anything wrong then please let me know. I have never personally been through something like this (broken rib, punctured lung, arrests, court arraignments, etc), so I don't have first hand experience.
> 
> Thank you for everyone who is reading this story. It means a lot to me. If you'd like to tell me what you thought of the chapter, I'd appreciate it. Sorry once again that it was so late. I'll try to be better in the future, but this is the toughest fanfiction I've written so far.
> 
> Thank you for all the hits and kudos! Shout out to those who commented: E._.Otaku and Miraculous_kid!!
> 
> Up next, Chapter Fourteen: Recovery


	14. Recovery

**Chapter Fourteen: Recovery**

The next week was a challenge for Natsu and Lucy.

Natsu had to stay overnight on Saturday at the hospital due to his injuries. The doctors said they wanted to make sure he was doing fine before releasing him. He tried to convince them he was alright, but then when he tried to stand up, he winced and shuttered at the pain coursing through his body.

Needless to say he wasn't able to convince them he was good enough to leave.

Lucy tried to get him to call his parents and let them know what happened, but he refused. He said he didn't want to worry them. He'd be out soon anyway, so he could always tell them when they got back to Magnolia. She reluctantly agreed, even though she felt like they should know.

Lucy stayed by his side the entire day and night, vowing to not leave him no matter what. Even when the police came the next morning to gather their statements, she refused to leave him.

Of course that didn't sit well with Officer Agria, who said they needed to get her statement in private. The furthest she was willing to travel was the other side of the room, causing the female cop some irritation, but she complied anyway.

Detective Chaney accompanied her, getting Natsu's statement before asking if he'd like to press charges against Jackal for assault. Natsu had to think about it for a while. As much as he wanted to get back at that bastard for fighting him, he didn't want to be publicly humiliated more. He felt like if he pressed charges it'd be showing the world he was defeated by that asshole. But he also didn't want him to just get away with it...

Gritting his teeth, Natsu nodded, "yeah... I'll press charges..."

That started up a new process. More statements were taken for the incident, this time Chaney asked him for more detailed answers to help with the case.

When that was taken care of, Natsu demanded answers about what was happening to Jackal. It was at that time Lucy joined him beside the bed, wanting to know the news as well.

The detective sighed before saying, "I'm not going to lie, it's not looking very good. We almost weren't able to make the arrest for him violating the protective order stick."

"Why's that?" Natsu asked, subconsciously gripping the thin bed sheets. He had an unsettling feeling in his gut from the wary look on the detective's face.

"Your name was spelled wrong on the protective order," Officer Agria started. "Your husband-"

"Ex," Lucy cut her off. "He's my ex..." She tried to keep her voice civil, but everyone could hear the anger boiling under the surface.

The female officer nodded before correcting herself. "Your _ex_ -husband's lawyer was trying to dismiss the charges because technically the protective order wasn't for you. Luckily Chaney here," she glanced over at the detective, "was able to find a part in the recording where you can clearly hear Jackal sounding surprised that your name was spelled wrong. It was just enough to make the judge keep the charges."

"Well that's good," Natsu put a hand over Lucy's, hoping to give her strength, even though he had very little of his own.

After the drunken night they shared together, followed by a day's worth of driving, then the altercation at Jackal's estate, then the emotional roller coaster they went through with confessing about their addictions/issues, it was too much. The fight he had with Jackal afterwards was the last straw his body had. Any other day he knew he could take down Jackal, but after all that, he was lucky he was able to break that bastard's nose.

As much as he wanted another go at it, he'd rather never see that smug asshole again. However, pressing charges against him insured he'd be seeing him again sometime soon. He almost regretted saying he wanted to press charges.

"So what happens now?" Lucy asked, her other hand covering Natsu's. Her body felt a little hollow, so the warmth of his body was a small comfort during this difficult time.

She just wished Jackal would have let her go when she filed for divorce. She couldn't understand why he'd want to keep her anyway if he always said how much he hated her and how much she disgusted him.

Lucy felt herself withdrawing from reality again, the urge to cut pressing itself higher in her mind. As if sensing her distress, Natsu's hand squeezed hers, drawing her out of her shell and back to reality.

After taking a deep breath, she reminded herself that she didn't have to go about this alone. She had Natsu with her. It was selfish to rely on him completely for her recovery, but it'd be worse if she just gave into temptation without even trying to let him help.

"Since he showed he's not capable of being out on his own recognizance, his bail was denied." Detective Chaney had to suppress the urge to smile when he saw Lucy's eyes light up.

"That means..."

"Yes, he's in jail right now. He can't hurt you." Officer Agria loved delivering good news. It made her job worth it. She saw far too much pain and misery brought on by technicalities. It was nice to have a small victory.

"Wait..." Lucy furrowed her brows, "what recording?"

Natsu was caught by surprise too. He heard them say it, but he didn't think anything about it until she brought it up.

Detective Chaney's face turned a bright red as he started explaining, "your father has security surveillance set up around the house... One of the tapes caught the audio from the assault..."

Natsu cocked his head. "It doesn't have video?"

The blush on the detective's face intensified. "Uhh... It does... It's just the camera was pointed at the porch... You can't see the actual assault take place."

It didn't take a genius to figure out why he was blushing now. "Did... you see?" Natsu gulped when the detective nodded. "S-sorry..."

"It's alright," he coughed, trying to clear his throat.

Lucy looked at the detective, then back at Natsu. She didn't understand what was going on. "What?"

Natsu leaned over, even though the action hurt his ribs. He quickly whispered, "I played with you on the porch."

Lucy's face burned in embarrassment. "Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry!" She dropped her head, letting her bangs cover her eyes. She felt so ashamed of herself, getting recorded while fooling around outside. And someone saw it! She could die right then and there.

Officer Agria hadn't seen the recording, but she did hear Chaney's short summary. She could only imagine how humiliating it would be to get caught like that. She didn't say anything, not wanting to accidentally make it worse.

"Anyways..." Detective Chaney cleared his throat once more, "Lucy, your first court date will be Thursday."

She nodded, but didn't dare bring her head up to look at him. She guessed he was talking to Natsu now since he said, "I'll have to let you know when your first appearance will be. We're going to go back to the station to file this. Since he's already in jail we can skip the arresting him part."

Officer Agria almost pouted. She'd seen the nasty bruises that man left on Lucy. She didn't know this girl personally, but she couldn't stand seeing anyone beaten, man or woman. She'd gladly arrest Jackal a hundred times if she had to, just to cause him a fraction of the pain he caused Lucy.

"You'll be hearing from us soon," Detective Chaney said as he stood. "I hope you have a quick recovery."

"Me too," Natsu groaned, his side feeling like it was on fire. It hurt to breathe, but his doctor told him he needed to breathe regularly to avoid getting pneumonia. At least once an hour he had to take a really deep breath to prevent it from getting worse, even if that hurt like a motherfucker.

After what felt like hours, the two finally left, leaving Natsu and Lucy alone again. They were both exhausted, opting to sleep instead of talk. Natsu passed out on the bed again while Lucy laid her head near one of his side, keeping far away from his broken ribs.

Sunday evening came before either of them knew it. A nurse came in with a tray of food. He said he was there to check on Natsu, waking the two from their deep sleep. When the nurse finished getting his vitals, he left, saying he'd be back later to check again.

"My head hurts," Natsu groused, hand coming up to grab at his temple. "I hope they let me leave soon."

Lucy rubbed the sleep from her eyes, then yawned. "Me too," she felt like she hadn't gotten a decent night's sleep in years. She glanced at the clock, seeing they'd been out for most of the day.

When she looked back at Natsu, she saw he was inspecting a cup of jello on the tray. Lucy helped move the tray closer to him so he wouldn't have to bend so much, seeing as he winced in pain every time he reached for something.

Not wanting to leave his side, she ate the cup of fruit they gave him while he munched on the sandwich. They fell into a comfortable silence while they watched old reruns on the television.

Finally a doctor came in to tell Natsu the good news. He was being discharged!

When Lucy went to gather his things, she paled, realizing they weren't where she left them the night before. At that moment Virgo and Jude walked into the room, the maid carrying a bag full of his clothes.

"I washed them this morning," Virgo explained as she handed the bag to Lucy. "We tried to visit earlier, but you two were asleep."

"Oh, thanks," Lucy put the bag on the chair beside Natsu. "He's going to get dressed, then we should be able to leave."

That was their cue to exit the room, giving Natsu some privacy to change. Lucy helped Natsu put his clothes on since moving around still hurt. The doctor warned that he'd be in a lot of pain for the first few weeks, but then it would gradually lessen as his ribs healed.

When Natsu was dressed and standing up, the doctor came back in, asking for a moment alone with the patient. Lucy wanted to protest, but she figured if she cooperated it would expedite the discharge process.

As soon as Lucy left, the doctor started. "The first two weeks are going to be the most painful for you. Remember to continue to breath deeply and fully to avoid further complications."

Natsu nodded as she went on. "We're prescribing you some painkillers, but first I need to ask you a few questions."

He felt wary as he said, "... okay..."

"Before this have you had any type of breathing problem," she started, seeing he shook his head to the question. "Any history of head injury, brain tumor, or seizures?"

Once again Natsu shook his head. The next question she asked made his heart jump. "Any history of drug use, alcohol addiction, or mental illness."

Natsu felt himself about to shake his head, but he stopped. In a strained voice, he said, "y-yes."

The doctor gave him a quizzical look as she asked, "to which one?"

"Th-the alcohol..." He really didn't feel comfortable admitting it, but he already knew the risks to painkillers. If he got addicted to alcohol, how was he supposed to handle drugs! As much as he wanted to remain quiet, he wanted to get better more.

"I see," the doctor pulled out a pad and started scribbling on it. "Then I'm going to prescribe you enough to last only two weeks. This kind isn't as strong, so you'll still feel pain, but I'm sure you know it's better than the risk of an addiction to pills. Painkillers help relieve pain after an injury, but they are still a narcotic and can be addictive."

Natsu said nothing. He accepted the small slip of paper when she handed it to him, then nodded when she told him to go down the hall until he ran into the pharmacy. That's where they'd give him the medication.

When Natsu came out of the room, he found three pairs of eyes staring at him, waiting for him to say something. "Uhh..." He held up the paper. "I gotta get this filled out, then I can leave."

Lucy smiled, carefully holding onto his arm as they walked down the hall with Jude and Virgo behind them. Lucy decided not to say anything when she saw him get painkillers. She would talk to him later when they were alone to make sure he was fine with taking pills, seeing as he was already an addict.

Before they left they stopped by the front desk to ask how to obtain Lucy's medical records. They would be needed for the case against Jackal. They directed her to a few places where she filled out paperwork, then told her she could come back in forty-eight hours to collect them.

The ride back to Jude's estate went less than well. Virgo had to drive slower to avoid bumps that caused Natsu more pain, but that only made his motion sickness act up since the ride lasted longer than usual. By the time they arrived, Natsu had an upset stomach and a pained side.

The rest of the day was spent in the living room, discussing the issues at hand. Jude hired a lawyer for Lucy, though most of his time was spent trying to recover what he could of his business. He already received a letter from Jackal's lawyer about the buyout, stating that Jackal wanted to end the partnership due to breach of contract.

Jude wasn't going to fight it. He was tired, overworked, and now miserable. He threw his whole life into his business for a better life for his family, and what did it get him? His wife was gone and his daughter was now going through something she should have never been dealing with. He felt like a failure, but he kept that to himself. He knew the last thing everyone needed was his self-pity.

The lawyer went over Lucy's case with her. Unfortunately for her, she didn't have a lot of evidence against him. The bruises Jackal left her when she went to his house to grab her stuff helped, but it wasn't enough to form a pattern.

After the beatings he gave her, he never took her to the hospital afterwards. She recovered in their room, never allowed to see the light of day as long as the bruises could be seen on her face or arms. He never broke any bones, so there was no solid proof he abused or raped her.

Lucy's only hospital visits had been centered around her trying to get pregnant. The lawyer asked if there might be anything in the records that showed signs of abuse, but Lucy shook her head. Her husband was always in the room with her whenever the doctors looked over her, even when they did her Pap smears. She had no privacy, so she couldn't tell the doctors she needed help. He also made sure they didn't see the bruises on her body.

When asked about her cuts on her legs, Jackal lied, saying she was seeing a therapist about her problems. Not a lot of people questioned Jackal seeing as his pockets were deep and his tongue was silver. He could bribe anyone if they got suspicious of him. So far she'd never seen anyone turn him down...

Except her... that is... but look where it got her.

"So what's he most likely facing?" Natsu asked, body leaning back on the couch. Despite not moving, his side still stung. He hadn't taken his painkillers yet, fearful of what they might do to him.

Her lawyer, known as Mr. King, sighed. "It doesn't look good. If we're lucky he'll get a slap on the wrist. Domestic violence cases are hard to prove. It's usually he said she said stuff, and the lack of evidence helps him out. There's really no way to get the rape charges to stick without any proof, so the best bet is to shed more light on the abuse since we have one confirmed incident. But even that's not enough. We'd have to establish a pattern, but once again we can't do that without evidence."

"So..." Lucy felt her eyes prick, "what you're saying is... it's hopeless?"

The silence in the room answered her question.

"Maybe I should just drop the charges and leave. H-he might just give me a divorce and let me leave..." Tears welled up in her eyes, but she didn't let them spill. Instead she held on to that empty feeling, letting her soul get trapped in the darkness that plagued her. She could never truly be happy. Even if she got far away from that man, she'd still never get justice for what he did to her.

She closed her eyes, the tears racing down her cheeks. Everyone stayed quiet, but she felt a warm hand on her back, drawing circles against her shirt in an attempt to sooth her. It barely worked, since her body was going numb.

"D-do you think he'd agree to a divorce?"

Mr. King frowned. "Mard Geer told me Jackal would like to work things out with you."

"No," she shook her head, feeling herself shrink into the couch. "I can't be with him! I won't!"

Natsu flinched a little from her scream. Her hands came up, grabbing at her blonde hair. "What will it take for him to just give me a divorce and let me move on with my life?"

The lawyer sighed, stood up, and said, "I'll find out." And that was the last thing he said before he left.

The next ten minutes was spent trying to get Lucy to stop crying. She sobbed, feeling like a broken toy Jackal liked fucking with. Even from jail he could make her life a living hell. If he didn't sign the divorce, then they'd have to go through court to get it done. That meant time, money, and energy.

Lucy was out of all three.

Even if she sold all her and her mother's jewelry, she still wouldn't have enough to pay for the lawyer's fees and have enough money to live off of. Plus Natsu was now out of work because of his injury. He had called his boss in the hospital, then faxed over the paperwork from the doctors.

Natsu was instructed not to go to work for at least three weeks since his job was a physical one. Natsu didn't live paycheck to paycheck, but he also didn't have a nest egg for situations like this. He barely had enough for rent, but not enough for the other essentials like food and utilities.

The three weeks would eat Natsu alive. He would have to get a loan just to pay his next month's rent. That wasn't even including his hospital bills. He hadn't received it yet, but he knew they could get expensive. Especially for someone like him who didn't have insurance.

Natsu kicked himself in the ass for that one. He had the option to sign up for insurance at his work, but he'd been stupid, thinking he wouldn't get hurt or sick. He could have signed up for government insurance, but he didn't want to do that either. Now it was going to cost him, and he didn't exactly have the means to pay for hospital bills on top of his other bills.

Especially if he couldn't work at the moment.

Jude was about to be cut off from his business, leaving him in a similar predicament. It wouldn't be long until he ran out of money as well, ensuring his daughter wouldn't have the funds to keep her lawyer.

At that very minute Jude was already working on his plan for when his company got taken over. So far it just included retirement since there wasn't much left for an old man like him to do with his life.

Virgo came in, breaking into everyone's thoughts by announcing that dinner was ready. They mindlessly went to the dinner table, waiting to be served. This time when Virgo went to pour the wine, Natsu felt better about refusing the alcoholic beverage.

"No thanks," he mumbled, grabbing the glass of water instead. "I'll be fine."

The maid thought nothing of it as she went on to Lucy, but she also refused to drink. Jude didn't deny her, taking a full glass of wine to combat his stress.

Natsu gave Lucy a knowing glance, then quickly mouthed the words, 'I love you.' She felt her tears building up again, but this time because she felt undeserving. She didn't think she was worthy of being loved, not after everything she went through. Deep down in her heart she knew most of her insecurities had to do with Jackal's verbal and physical abuse, but that wasn't enough to wash away the doubt and self-loathing that seemed to burden her most of the time.

Lucy gave him a weak smile before looking back at her meal. She wasn't hungry, but she ate anyway. The food was probably delicious, but she couldn't taste it. The emotional turmoil and struggle she felt ruined the food for her, but she still managed to eat it, knowing she'd need her strength.

That night Lucy brought Natsu to her old bedroom. Jude was about to protest, once again not liking the idea of his daughter being intimate with a man who wasn't technically her husband, but he said nothing. Jackal was only attached to her by a piece of paper that would be voided soon if they had anything to do about it. He would turn a blind eye once again, this time knowing for sure Lucy would be safe.

Lucy helped Natsu undress, then he climbed into bed after he took his first painkiller. She asked if he would be fine, but he said he didn't know. They gave him enough for two weeks, but he had no idea if it would be enough to cause another addiction. He hoped not.

After turning off the lights and slipping into bed, Lucy curled up to Natsu's good side. He still winced, but it wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been. His broken ribs still pained him, but he was optimistic the painkillers would do their job soon.

Lucy placed a hand on Natsu's chest, then scooted up until their noses touched. She pressed her lips against his, trying to seek out more comfort. Natsu kissed her back, lips parting to drag his tongue against the seams of her lips. She got the hint, opening her mouth to deepen the kiss.

As their kiss continued, Lucy's hand lowered down to his boxers. His cock was already hard, begging to be touched. She gave him an experimental squeeze, feeling him moan in her mouth. It was followed by a groan when his abdominal muscles tensed up.

"Fuck," he cursed, pulling away from her mouth. "That kinda hurt..."

"What?" Lucy asked, stroking over his boxers once. "This?"

Natsu clenched his teeth as his body fought within itself. It was pleasure and agony combined. "Yeah," he huffed, "my stomach hurts..."

"Do you want to stop?" She asked, hand already leaving his hidden cock.

"No," he shook his head, though he didn't know if she could see him in the dark. "I can handle it."

"Okay..." Lucy figured he knew his body best, so she trusted him. As quietly as she could, she spit in her hand to get it nice and wet. Her hand dipped under his boxers to get a better grip on his arousal. She slowly pumped him, being cautious of her movements.

Natsu tried to be completely still, face scrunched up as the battle started to rage within him.

He tried to keep his breathing even, but the way she touched him prevented him from doing so. His hips would buck into her hands, then immediately a searing hot pain would come from his damaged side. He hadn't thought to ask the doctor when he could have sex again, thinking his injury wouldn't get in the way.

Boy was he wrong.

" _Gaah_ ," Natsu clenched his stomach when her hand swiped over the tip of his cock, causing the pain to build up. What she did wasn't hurting him, it was the way he reacted to her touching him that did it.

"Sorry," she mumbled, going slower. Lucy felt awful. She just wanted to give him pleasure, but it seemed like she was doing more harm than good.

"It's fine," he said through clenched teeth. "It's not your fault."

Lucy felt a sting of guilt strike her heart. She still felt like this was all her fault, regardless of how many times he said it wasn't. "Do you want to keep going?"

Natsu cringed. "Maybe not tonight... Is that okay?" He hated denying Lucy, but the pain was too excruciating, and that was just from a handjob. He couldn't possibly have sex at this point.

"Yeah," she said, pulling her hand from his boxers, then adjusted him inside them. "Maybe another time."

He frowned, wondering when exactly he'd be able to withstand the pain. The doctor said the first two weeks were the hardest, but he hoped he'd heal up faster than that.

"I'm sorry," Natsu sighed, letting his head sink into the pillow. He felt awful. He felt like he let Lucy down. Not necessarily from being unable to finish, but from losing the fight against Jackal that caused this pain.

He felt like less of a man, getting defeated at every turn.

"Don't be," Lucy said, resting her head on his chest. He wrapped his arm around her, trying not to wince when the stretch pulled at his sore body. "I love you no matter what."

It took all his efforts not to snort. "Thanks." He gazed up at the ceiling, even though he couldn't see it. "I love you too, you weirdo."

Lucy let out a soft giggle as she closed her eyes. She listened to his heartbeat as it lulled her to sleep. Things might not be perfect between them, but that wouldn't change how they felt about each other.

It took longer for Natsu to fall asleep. The pain in his side was a constant thing as long as he breathed... Which he kind of needed to do. Eventually he relaxed enough to drift to sleep, letting go of the pain until morning.

* * *

During breakfast Monday morning, Natsu received a strange call. He excused himself from the table to go to the living room so he could answer it. "Hello?"

_"Mr. Dragneel, this is Mard Geer, Jackal's law-"_

"I know who you are," Natsu cut him off, eyes narrowing. "What do you want? Wait, how the hell did you get my phone number?"

_"That's not important,"_ he said, and Natsu could almost imagine him waving his hand to dismiss the thought. _"I have an offer for you from Mr. Tartaros. Will you be available this morning to discuss it?"_

Natsu's mouth dropped for a moment. "What? No!"

"Is everything alright?" Lucy's voice entered the room. He turned around, seeing her walking towards him.

Natsu's lips twisted as he shook his head. He didn't say anything to her though since the lawyer was now talking in his ear. _"Tell me Mr. Dragneel, have you ever pressed charges on someone before?"_

"Well... no..." Natsu raised a brow. "Why?"

_"Can you afford a lawyer?"_

His teeth ground together for a moment before admitting, "no, but the cops said I don't need one to press charges."

_"That's true,"_ the lawyer paused, _"but I'm assuming you won't be able to pay for your medical bills on a welder's pay."_ Before Natsu could say anything, he continued. _"Do you know how much it cost to go to the emergency room at Crocus hospital is without insurance?"_

Once again, Natsu wasn't able to answer before Mard Geer spoke again. _"It's usually around twelve hundred dollars, and that's just to show up. Do you know how much an ambulance ride is?"_

Natsu was already sweating. $1200 was a lot of money. His rent wasn't even that much! He tried to do the math in his head, seeing that it would take weeks just to come up with that kind of money, and that was only if he skipped out on paying his other bills.

_"If you had an Advanced Life Support ambulance ride that'll cost you some big bucks. In Crocus those usually start out at one thousand dollars, not including distance, and the supplies they used..."_

Natsu blinked a few times, trying to add up everything in his head. At least $2,200 now. It didn't seem like a horrible number, but it was definitely inconvenient. He cursed himself more now than ever for not signing up for health insurance when he had the chance.

_"There's also the X-rays. I'm assuming they took some. Usually they can cost up to one thousand dollars, but that's just a guess. I think the most shocking one is the overnight charge..."_

Natsu's eyes widened a bit. "What do you mean?"

Lucy watched as Natsu flinched, then immediately sat down on the couch, barely hitting the edge of the seat. "There's no way!" He shook his head, "that's outrageous!"

Lucy went to take a seat next to Natsu, then placed a hand on his knee for support. She had no idea what was going on, but it didn't seem good.

_"It is outrageous,"_ the lawyer agreed. _"And that's just the average. It could even cost you more than ten thousand dollars. But, if you have insurance, you don't need to worry about most of that."_

Natsu wanted to punch the shit out of this guy. "I don't..."

_"That is a shame. Tell me, can you afford a lawyer to try to sue Mr. Tartaros for that much money_ if _he's found guilty?"_

Natsu stayed quiet, not sure if he should even answer that. He obviously couldn't afford a lawyer, let alone attempt to pay that much debt on his welder's pay. He made enough for his life style, and that was it... He never thought about needing to pay anything extra. Hell, he didn't even have a car! How could he afford thousands of dollars in medical bills?

_"There is another way,"_ Mard Geer started, sounding oddly nice. _"If you have a meeting with me, we can make this all go away."_

Natsu furrowed his brows. "What do you mean?" He knew he was being manipulated, but right now he didn't care. He could at least hear the man out.

_"Meet me at my office in one hour, and I'll show you."_ With that, he hung up the phone, leaving a dumbfounded Natsu in silence.

He slowly dropped the phone to his lap, his mind flooding with conflicting thoughts. As much as he wanted to tell Mard Geer and Jackal to fuck off, he also couldn't ignore the 'offer' he was dangling in front of Natsu's face.

"Hey Luce..." He started, voice growing hoarse, "can you drive me somewhere..."

Lucy squeezed his knee as she said, "yeah. Where?"

He only frowned, upset at himself for even saying it. "To Jackal's lawyer's office..."

* * *

After the horrible car ride over, Natsu was finally standing in front of the law firm. Lucy was beside him, holding his hand for support. They already talked about what might happen inside, but they still felt unprepared. They decided not to tell Jude or Virgo what they were doing, knowing the two would only try to stop them. Honestly at this point, both of them just wanted this all to end.

The elevator ride put Natsu's stomach through hell again as they made their way to Mard Geer's office. _'Of course that smug asshole has to have an office on the top floor.'_

The meeting was pretty straight forward. It was just Mard Geer on one side of a table while Lucy and Natsu sat on the other. The assault case was the only issue between Natsu and Jackal. Mard Geer mentioned the camera angles didn't catch even a sliver of the fight, only words could be heard, and even that didn't prove who threw the first punch.

Before anyone could mention the witnesses, Mard Geer dismissed it. "I'll just argue that you're lying to cover up whatever actually happened. I think you and your family would say anything to get Jackal's name dragged through the mud, and that's exactly the defense I'll use. Then it'll become a he said she said case. Natsu, you have a record of fighting, don't you?"

Natsu remained quiet, knowing he was referring to the many fights he got into when he was at school. Most of them were just fights for fun with his friends, but others were legitimate ones that got him in some trouble.

"That's what I thought. There's also a record of you punching Jackal in the face for no reason four years ago."

Natsu clenched his fists together, trying to remember to breathe normally despite the pain in his side. He remembered that day perfectly. There was a very good reason for him to punch that arrogant douche in the face. He announced his engagement to Lucy, and Natsu couldn't stand for it. He let his anger get the better of him, so he took it out on Jackal with violence.

"If you're lucky, which I don't think you'll be," Mard Geer started, "Jackal will be found guilty. But my client has no criminal record, and there were mitigating circumstances. He felt threatened by you, so he might have acted in self-defense when you threw the first punch."

"I didn't punch him first," Natsu cut in, but the lawyer was already moving on.

"The prosecutor might just let Jackal serve out his sentence on probation, meaning no jail time. Often the charges will be dismissed once the probation is completed anyway, leaving his record clean."

Natsu hated to admit it, but this lawyer was good, knowing exactly what he was talking about. He already knew Mard Geer was one of the best, if not the best lawyer in Crocus. Natsu started to think he didn't have a chance, causing his shoulders to sag and his fists to loosen.

Mard Geer laced his fingers together over the table. "There is another way, like I said over the phone."

"And what's that?" Natsu practically hissed.

Mard Geer grabbed a slip of paper on the table, then slid it over to Natsu face down. "You drop the charges and you get this nice check. It's a win-win situation."

"How can he drop the charges if they already started it?" Lucy asked, finally speaking up.

"Most states don't allow someone to drop the charges after they've been picked up by law enforcement, but luckily for you," Mard Geer smirked, "Crocus allows it. Especially in assault cases where both people were injured."

Natsu stared at the edge of the table, wondering what he should do. If the lawyer was telling the truth it looked like he wasn't going to have very much luck in court. If they found that Jackal was innocent would that mean Natsu would be stuck with his hospital bills and still not get revenge for losing to that asshole?

"Before you decide," Mard Geer's voice was really starting to annoy Natsu. "I suggest you take a look at that check."

Natsu wanted to say he couldn't be bribed, but once he flipped that check over he choked, allowing no words to escape.

Lucy glanced over at it, her own eyes widening from the amount. She had no idea how much Natsu's medical bills would be, but she felt like the amount would cover that and possibly his lost wages at work too.

His fingers twitched as he finally said, "can I talk to Lucy alone for a minute?"

"Of course," Mard Geer stood, then walked towards the door. "I'll be back soon to hear your decision." He left the room, leaving them alone again.

"Fuck," Natsu grunted, dropping his head until his forehead rested against the table. "I don't know what to do."

"Me either," Lucy frowned. She thought this whole process would go easier. She would tell the police what Jackal did and he would probably confess since he seemed like he didn't think he was doing anything wrong, then they would put him in prison and she would move on with her life...

She found out quick that wasn't realistic at all.

"Will it be enough?" Lucy asked hesitantly.

Natsu shrugged his shoulders. "I dunno. I haven't gotten my bill yet, but how the hell can forty grand not be enough?"

Lucy could only softly nod her head. To her, it didn't seem like a lot of money only because of the life she lived before this moment. She knew Jackal could drop forty grand in a single weekend on trivial things if he wanted to, but to a person like Natsu, that was a lot of money. That could be a down-payment on a house, that could be an entire car loan, or it could be enough to pay for his hospital bills since he didn't have insurance.

The thought of dragging this process out was the thing that made them both agree to take the deal, even if it was risky.

When Mard Geer came back, he already had the paperwork Natsu needed to fill out to drop the charges. A police officer was with him - _probably on his payroll_ , but that was just speculation. Natsu signed the damn papers, then grabbed the already-signed check.

Before they left, Mard Geer asked, "Lucy, is there anyway you'd be willing to drop your charges as well? We can make it worth your wild."

To that, Lucy shook her head. "Tell Jackal I'll see him in court on Thursday." Then they left, not caring about the frown that surfaced on the lawyers face as they walked away.

Neither spoke about what happened on the ride to the bank. It was mainly due to Natsu's motion sickness, but it was also because they were still unsure if they made the right decision. It was too late to turn back now, so she drove to one of Natsu's bank's branches so he could deposit the money.

Lucy didn't trust Jackal, so she wanted to make sure Natsu got what he deserved before anything could happen.

Natsu deposited the check, even though it took three times as long as it usually would if he were depositing a regular check. The bank had to call to verify that the check was legit, then Natsu had to fill out papers for the IRS because it was over a certain amount. In the end the check cleared, and Natsu's bank account added a few extra 0's to it. He decided not to cash it, wanting to wait to make sure the money really would stay in his account for a while before withdrawing any of it.

On the way to Jude's house Natsu suggested using the money for Lucy's lawyer, but she refused, saying that was his money to pay for his bills. He eventually dropped it, saying they'll figure something out. He would just hold onto the money until he received his hospital bill. He just hoped he didn't agree too soon, and that the medical bill might be more than the check was. It was all just a gamble at this point.

* * *

Tuesday morning, Lucy got a call from Detective Chaney. He asked if Lucy would come down to the courthouse to meet with him and the prosecutor for her case. She agreed, saying she'd be there soon. Before they hung up, she asked if she could bring Natsu. Chaney said yes, and told her to also bring her lawyer if he was available.

One phone call and a drive later, Lucy, Natsu, Jude, and Mr. King were walking into the courthouse. Detective Chaney and a woman named Minerva Orland, who was the Assistant District Attorney, were waiting outside when they arrived. They led the group to a private room in the courthouse to discuss why they asked Lucy to come.

"A plea bargain?" Lucy asked with a raised brow. "What do you mean?"

Ms. Orland was the one to answer. "We want to avoid the difficulties of a trial, so we'd like to offer Mr. Tartaros a plea bargain. However, we'd like you to agree to it before hand."

She felt a little feverish from this news. Lucy felt a warm hand on her shoulder. She glanced up, seeing Natsu standing right behind her. It was just enough comfort to keep her strong. "What's the plea bargain?"

Detective Chaney set out a paper in front of Lucy's lawyer. He sat down at a table so he could read it while Chaney spoke with Lucy. "First I want to say we're willing to go to trial if you want that, but honestly..." He paused as he sorted through his mind for the right words. "... It doesn't look promising. Some of the maids said they might have heard something going on, but it's not enough to prove something happened. We definitely have a case for the assault that took place at Jackal's estate this Saturday, but we have virtually nothing on the rape allegations."

Lucy's face fell. "Oh... I see..."

"That doesn't mean we won't fight if you want us to," Chaney quickly added. "Right now we can get a guilty conviction for the assault, but his lawyer said he's prepared to plead guilty if you drop everything else."

"You mean the rape part," Lucy's brown eyes dulled.

"Yeah," he nodded. "However, if he pleads guilty, the judge might drop the felony down to a misdemeanor. It's common for that to happen. He'd be looking at probation, and maybe community service."

Lucy had to take a seat, overwhelmed by the news that even if he pleaded guilty, he would basically get away with it. She couldn't help but think it wasn't fair. How could he get away with beating and raping her for years? Wasn't her word enough?

"What happens if I go to trial?" Lucy asked, not wanting to give up that easily.

Chaney and Orland shared a sad glance before he finally said, "your personal life will be made public..."

"I don't really care about that," Lucy lied. Of course she didn't want people to know her business, but she also didn't want to let him get away with everything.

"Okay." The detective nodded, a slight twitch in his cheek. "I have to warn you... Mard Geer will probably use your relationship with Mr. Dragneel against you."

"H-how so?" She asked, stealing a glance at Natsu before looking back at the detective.

"We didn't take the first set of pictures of your marks until after you admitted to sleeping with another man. Mard Geer will argue that Mr. Dragneel caused those bruises... Plus he can use the footage from the porch."

Lucy's eyes went wide at hearing that. Before she could ask, Chaney shook his head, "the video won't be made public, but he can use that information against you. It also doesn't look good for a rape victim to be sleeping with multiple people..."

Lucy felt her eyes prick with fresh tears. Natsu himself let out a soft growl, angered by what the detective was implying. He didn't say anything though, not wanting to make this situation more complicated.

"What's the plea deal look like?" Lucy asked, her eyes watery and her bottom lip quivering.

Mr. King was the one to speak when he set the papers down. "The rape charges get dropped, the assault stays. He'd get six months in an anger management class, five years probation, three months of community service. The felony would be dropped to a misdemeanor."

Lucy narrowed her eyes. "That's exactly what you said earlier though..."

"We know," Ms. Orland said. "The case doesn't look very promising. If we lost this case, he'd get off free. Plus if we go this route, you won't have to stand trial and face that hardship..."

Lucy shook her head. "No, I want something else. Probation and classes aren't enough for the hell he put me through!"

Detective Chaney nodded slowly. "Very well. We'll push forward with the case. If you think of anything else that might help, let us know now."

"The maids," she started, her mind frazzled from overthinking. "I can give you the names of at least three maids who I know saw what he did to me."

"That will help. Here," he handed her a pen and notepad. "Write them down, I'll go interview them as soon as we're done here."

She shakily wrote their names down, hoping they'd be on her side and tell the truth. Maybe getting confronted one-on-one with the detective would be enough to rattle them into confessing the truth... Maybe...

"I want the divorce," Lucy said, her voice steady as she steeled her resolve. "I want it now."

Ms. Orland looked over at Lucy's lawyer, then back at her. "We'll see what we can do."

Lucy straightened her shoulders as she prepared herself. She really didn't want to use threats, but she was backed into a corner. "Tell Mard Geer if his client doesn't agree to the divorce by tomorrow, I'm going to the press with my story."

* * *

Lucy's threat lit a fire under Jackal's ass. Mard Geer called her later that night to ask what she wanted in the settlement. Her answer was simple. "I want my car and my trust fund."

The car was easy since it was completely in her name since Jude paid for it. The trust fund was somewhat of an issue though. When they married, Jackal took over her finances. She wasn't allowed to spend money without his permission, and she wasn't allowed to touch her trust fund, even when it was available to her when she reached the age of twenty-one.

The amount in the trust fund was half a million dollars. It wasn't enough to save Jude's company back then, or pay for Layla's _very_ expensive medical bills, but it was going to be enough to pay for her college degree when she eventually went... Which she never did because Jackal convinced her she didn't need a degree.

Apparently Jackal already invested the money from her trust fund into his business, so it created a bit of a complication. However, Mard Geer and Mr. King were very good lawyers who worked last night on coming up with the paperwork needed for their expedited divorce.

The only thing left was to get their clients to sign.

Mr. King and Lucy sat on one side of a table while Jackal and Mard Geer stayed on the other. Lucy was going through her paperwork, signing it as Jackal did the same. Neither spoke to each other, but it was probably due to Officer Eucliffe, Officer Agria, Detective Chaney, ADA Orland, and two Notaries being present in the room.

Lucy requested that there be plenty of witnesses this time, since every encounter she had with Jackal lately resulted in someone getting injured.

Natsu, Jude, and Virgo were right outside, waiting in the hall for them to finish. Natsu couldn't deny how nervous he was. Despite being with Lucy intimately, he still felt like they weren't truly together since she was still technically married. In a little bit, she would be a free woman.

He only hoped that she still wanted him then.

Virgo was grumbling that they confiscated her knife, while Jude was on his laptop sorting out what was left of his business. It honestly looked pretty bleak for the businessman. With any luck, he'd walk away from this without owing Jackal's company money. As long as Lucy was free from the abuse, he could handle whatever was thrown his way.

Natsu nervously picked at the end of his long-sleeved shirt as he waited for Lucy to come out. He almost jumped when he heard the door finally open. Mard Geer and Jackal emerged, the latter wearing a deep frown on his face.

His eyes met Natsu, then narrowed. "Good news," he sneered, "your cash cow is finally free."

If Natsu's hands didn't grab at the handles of his chair, he would have stood up and punched that asshole right in the broken nose again. He let out a low growl, but stayed firmly in his seat. There was no way he was messing things up for Lucy now. He could tolerate a little shit talk from Jackal if it meant she was actually free from his abusive grasp.

Besides, Natsu knew the truth. He wasn't with her for money. Hell, he'd be fine if they stayed in his little apartment for the rest of their lives. As long as he was with her, he was happy. Plus there was no way she could be considered a cow. She was beautiful, inside and out, unlike that horrible man who was now walking down the hall where he was no doubt heading back to his jail cell.

That was enough to bring a small smirk to Natsu's face.

Things might not be working out completely in their favor, but at least they were somewhat getting ahead. Lucy was getting her divorce, and tomorrow she would be showing up for her first day in trial against Jackal. Natsu had no idea how it was going to go, but he felt hopeful. Maybe the law would be on their side.

A few more minutes passed before other people started exiting the room. First it was the two Notaries, followed by the two officers. Mr. King was next, carrying a handful of papers. He stopped by to say something to Jude before walking down the hall.

Natsu felt anxious as he waited for Lucy to show up. When she finally did, he frowned. Lucy's face was pink, her eyes red from crying. His heart sank as he watched her slowly walk up to him, taking his hand to lead him down the hall without speaking a word.

He followed, hearing the footsteps of Jude and Virgo behind them as they exited the building to go to the parking lot. "Lucy... What's wrong?"

She tensed a little, but slowly relaxed. "It's nothing," she said, her blonde bangs shielding her eyes. "Jackal just called me worthless... It's not like I haven't heard it before..."

Natsu stopped, holding onto Lucy's hand so she would stop too. "Natsu, I-" She went silent when his arms wrapped around her, smothering her in a warm hug.

"Don't listen to that jerk," Natsu spoke into her neck. "You're amazing. You're smart, caring, and sexy as hell. You couldn't be worthless, even if you tried."

Lucy started to tremble as she cried against Natsu. She hugged him back, but then loosened her grip when she heard him wince in pain. She still wasn't used to his broken ribs.

Jude and Virgo stood there awkwardly, wondering if they should say something, or just wait. The answer was made up for them when the two finally separated.

Natsu peered down at Lucy, wiping the tears from her eyes with his thumbs before saying, "Lucy... I know this is probably a little too soon, but I need to know... Will you be my girlfriend?"

Lucy's brain stopped working for a second. "What?" She blinked, unsure if she heard him correctly. She saw pink gather in his cheeks, matching his spiky locks. "Y-you want me to be your... girlfriend?"

Natsu felt like a flustered teen as he nodded. "Uh... Yeah... I-I do..."

She couldn't help but smile, knowing she'd been dying to hear those words since she first developed a crush on him so many years ago. "Of course!" She leaped into his arms, then heard the hiss that came from him when she hit his ribs again. "Oh! I'm sorry!"

"It's okay," he groaned, shifting Lucy to his better side. "Still hurts a lot..."

Natsu tried not to laugh since it caused him pain while Lucy giggled. They separated, holding hands as they walked to her car. Before they got in, Jude spoke up.

"Lucy," he started, catching her attention. "Can you tell us how it went?"

She nodded, realizing she completely skipped over everything that happened in the room. She explained that she had to sign a lot of paperwork, and that Jackal had to sign the paperwork as well. The divorce still needs to be finalized, but it should be taken care of either tomorrow or the next day. She received a check from Jackal for her trust fund, but she didn't say the amount since Jude already knew how much it was. He set it up when Lucy was younger and his business was in better shape.

Lucy said after she deposited the check she was going to report to the courthouse where Ms. Orland will be prepping her for court tomorrow. It will be a closed courtroom since it's still technically a matter between husband and wife until the divorce is finalized.

Mard Geer was working extra hard to keep this all away from the public's eye, which is why he hired a private judge. Lucy said at first she was skeptical since it sounded really shady, but apparently it happens more often than one would think. Supposedly the judge is neutral, and by hiring a private judge they can get the court case solved faster. Of course that made things difficult for Lucy since it gave the prosecutors less time to gather evidence for the case, but at this point Lucy figured they had all they could get anyway.

Besides, she just wanted this to all be over. That didn't mean she was going to give up completely though. She fully intended on standing up against him, even if she was sure to lose. At least then she gave it her honest effort.

After Lucy was done explaining, the group gathered into Jude's car. Virgo drove them all to the bank where Lucy had to set up a new bank account separate from her _soon-to-be_ ex-husband.

Right before going inside, she asked Natsu if he would be on her account. He politely declined, saying he felt she should be independent with this. She felt a little hurt, but realized Natsu was just being a nice guy, so she tried not to take offense.

"I shouldn't have the money long anyways," she said before walking towards the bank.

Natsu raised a brow at her. "Why's that?"

Lucy smiled as she said, "I plan on doing something big with it."

"Oh, like pay for the lawyer?" He asked as he held open the door for her.

"Among other things," she purposely kept it vague. "You'll see."

Natsu let out a playful snort at her, but decided he could wait to see what she meant. He had the rest of his life to spend with Lucy. He wasn't in a rush.

That night Natsu and Lucy made love to celebrate officially being boyfriend/girlfriend. It wasn't exactly as rough and exciting as they both wished it could be, but it was still nice. Natsu laid on the bed, trying to hold back his pain as Lucy rode his cock.

She had to take it slow in order to keep from hurting him, but the constant movements and the way his stomach tensed up didn't help. He pulled through in the end, eventually groaning in pleasure more than pain. He told her he loved her over and over again as her pussy took in his cock.

Natsu tried to buck inside her, but that was going too far. Even with the pain medication, he still had to take it easy. He rubbed her clit fervently to make up for it while she fucked herself on him. Natsu was just happy that Lucy was able to come around his cock. Once her inner walls started to convulse around him, he wasn't far behind her, spurting everything he had deep inside her to fill her up.

They fell asleep shortly after, trying to keep the worrisome thoughts of tomorrow's trial out of their heads without much luck. They were in for a tough time, but as long as they had each other, they could conquer the world.

* * *

Or so they thought.

Simply put, the first hearing of the trial did not go well for Lucy.

Before it started, they presented her with another plea bargain. She refused it, saying she wanted Jackal to have at least four years in prison. He put her through four years of hell, it was only justice that he got the same. Mard Geer said they couldn't agree to that, so the trial started.

The prosecutor didn't have as much time to prep Lucy for court as she would have liked, so she decided not to call Lucy up that day.

Ms. Orland called two of the maids Lucy listed up to the stands, but neither gave any reliable information. In fact it actually made things worse, especially when one of the maids said she did walk in one them one time, but it didn't look like Lucy was struggling. She was just sort of laying there, taking it.

_'Great,'_ Lucy thought, chewing on her lip as anxiety started to bubble up inside her chest. _'It doesn't sound like he raped me... It just sounds like I'm a boring lay.'_

Jackal wanted to keep this as private as possible. That included getting a closed courtroom, getting a private judge, and having a judge trial instead of a jury one. That made things worse for Lucy. Juries tend to be more sympathetic towards victims, but a judge usually looked more at the hard evidence, which Lucy unfortunately lacked.

There wasn't enough time for Lucy to take the stands, despite her telling Ms. Orland that she needed to confront Jackal. "In due time," was all she said before bringing up one of Jackal's security guards.

The first hearing ended with them saying they'll resume the trial on the following Monday, meaning Lucy had to decide if she was going back to Magnolia with Natsu, or if she was staying in Crocus.

It wasn't a hard decision to make, seeing as she didn't want to be away from Natsu too long. On the car ride back to Jude's estate, Lucy bought the plane tickets for Natsu and herself using her phone. She had to pass it to Natsu to have him fill out some of his information since she didn't know his social security number, or the official address for his apartment.

By the time they reached the estate, the tickets were already purchased and being processed. Lucy packed up her bags while Natsu awkwardly sat in the living room while he waited. He'd been switching between two outfits the entire week, making him feel pretty gross. If he knew they were staying for a week he would have packed better. This was only supposed to be a quick trip after all.

Natsu made a quick phone call while he waited. He had to check on something before they got on the plane, and he wasn't sure he could do it while flying in the air.

Before Lucy and Natsu left for the airport, she asked Jude if he would take care of selling her car. She told him he could keep the money since he paid for it in the first place. When he asked if she was sure, she said yes. Lucy knew he would need the money more than her since his business was about to fail.

Natsu had to pop his painkillers and his motion sickness medication before boarding the plane. He'd never flown before, so he had no idea how his stomach was going to react. He had a plastic bag ready just in case.

About an hour into the flight Lucy started crying. The emotional toll was just too much for her to keep bottled up inside. Natsu let her cry into his neck so people wouldn't see her. After a few minutes, she pulled away, saying she should just drop the charges and give up. It wasn't worth this much stress.

Natsu shook his head, brushing away a few tears with his thumb. "You're stronger than this, Luce. You'll get through it. I believe in you."

Lucy mumbled, "you're just saying that..."

"I'm really not," he leaned in, kissing her softly on the cheek. "You're the strongest person I know. Stronger than me."

Her watery brown eyes locked with his. "R-really?"

"Really," he said without hesitation. "You shouldn't give up. If anything, I wish I would've stuck it through too instead of settling." Natsu took a deep breath before admitting, "one of the reasons I didn't was 'cause I was embarrassed he beat me."

He swallowed hard, feeling weak and vulnerable in that moment. If there was ever anyone he trusted to show this side of him though, it was Lucy. He knew she wouldn't judge him or make fun of him. She would only love and support him, because that was the kind of person she was. She was truly a gentle soul...

That didn't necessarily mean she didn't have a tough side though. Her 'Lucy Kicks' were enough to convince him of that.

"You have nothing to be embarrassed about," Lucy said softly, placing a hand on his scarred cheek. "You have an excuse. You were tired and sleep deprived. Jackal just happened to have an advantage. Any other day I know you would have beat him."

Natsu smiled, leaning into her touch. "Thanks. I think I needed to hear that."

"Anytime," she whispered, leaning in to give him a kiss on the lips. He kissed her back, but didn't push it any further. He didn't want to make a scene when people could see them.

Instead they pulled apart, Lucy resting her head on Natsu's shoulder while he rested his head on hers. They both easily passed out, worn out from everything they'd been through.

Exactly one week ago they met again after spending over four years separated. If only they knew just how exhausting their week would be when they saw each other in that bar.

Neither would trade it for the world.

* * *

"Do you want to get something to eat first?" Lucy asked when they climbed in the back of a cab.

Natsu barely nodded, the motion sickness pills already wearing off. He didn't want to take more since they were already in Magnolia, so he suffered through the ride until they reached his apartment.

Happy was meowing like crazy when Natsu opened the door to his little home. The blue feline went straight to his food dish, meowing at the dry cat food sitting there. Natsu chuckled, knowing Happy preferred eating real meat. He couldn't blame Gray for taking the easy way out, sticking with processed food instead since it took less time.

Speaking of Gray, Natsu sent him a quick text thanking him for taking care of Happy while he was gone. His reply was immediate, but it was also confusing.

_**Icicle Head: No problem. I'll see you tomorrow.** _

Natsu furrowed his brows as he texted back, **For what?**

He went to set his bag down by his laundry room while he waited for a response.

_**Icicle Head: Elfman's party. Mira said you'd be there.** _

"Fuck," Natsu groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose as he tried to come up with some excuse to get out of it. None came to mind, so he texted back, **Yeah... I'll be there. See ya.**

"What's wrong?" Lucy asked, setting some of her dirty clothes in the hamper by the washing machine. "You look stressed."

Natsu released his nose, then gazed at his girlfriend. _'Girlfriend. Sounds so sweet...'_

"I forgot I agreed to go to a cookout for Elfman's graduation," he sighed, then realized something. "You should come too!"

"I should?" She asked with a hint of skepticism. She hadn't seen their friends in a while, but she didn't know if she was ready to jump right back into it. Especially after the week they just went through.

"Absolutely!" He nodded, actually getting excited of the idea of hanging out with people. "It'll be great!"

"I guess so..." Lucy still felt a little wary, but Natsu's bright grin was enough to melt most of the tension she was carrying away. "But we should talk about it later. Doesn't your meeting start soon?"

Natsu looked at his phone, seeing she was right. "Damn. Yeah, I guess we'll have to skip eating." He was about to start walking when a thought crossed his mind. "Wait... You still wanna come... Right?"

Lucy didn't giggle at his silliness, not wanting to accidentally upset him. "Right."

His toothy grin grew as he took her hand. "Awesome! Let's go!"

And so they went, out of the apartment complex and into a cab that would take them to Natsu's destination. It was a large building, but the room he sought out was rather small. When he showed up with Lucy, there were only ten other people present. They both easily recognized the brunette running the meeting since she went to high school with them.

"Hello, take a seat newbies," Cana greeted, extending a hand to show some empty seats.

They thankfully showed up just as the meeting was starting. Natsu would have hated if he was late to his first one. Cana started the meeting, smiling softly at everyone.

"My name is Cana, and I'm a member of Alcoholics Anonymous. I was addicted to drinking for more years than I can count, but about two years ago I sought help for my problem. I'm proud to say it's been twenty months since my last drink, and I have the support of my friends, family, and you all to help me get through another day sober."

It was at that moment that Natsu started to feel a little nauseous. Cana had been sober for twenty months and she was _still_ going to meetings. It hadn't occurred to Natsu that this would be a lengthy process.

He stayed quiet as he listened to the brunette continue. "Since we have some new people with us today, I'd like everyone to introduce yourself. We'll start with you," she looked at a man to her left. He introduced himself in a similar fashion to how Cana did, saying he'd been sober for eleven months. The next person was a woman who said she'd been sober for fourteen months. It carried on like that until it became Natsu's turn.

He bit back a cringe as he said, "h-hi... Umm..." He could already feel himself sweating. Just as he considered jumping up from the chair and getting the hell out of there, a small hand grabbed his, gently squeezing it to give him reassurance.

He swallowed thickly as he said, "my name's Natsu... and I'm an alcoholic... My last drink was... a week ago... I would've been here earlier, but I kinda got in an accident..." It wasn't an accident, but they didn't need to know that.

"Hi Natsu," everyone said in chorus.

He couldn't help but smile a little. He had said all that and no one was looking at him with shame in their eyes. It made him feel relieved. Natsu looked at Lucy just as everyone else turned their gaze to her as well.

"Oh, me?" She shook her head. "I'm just here to support Natsu."

"Support is always welcomed here," Cana smiled, then looked at the woman beside Lucy. "Your turn."

The rest of the group introduced themselves, then the actual meeting started. Some people talked about their past experiences while others stayed quiet. Natsu decided to be one of the silent ones, observing everyone else to get a sense of what these meetings were about. The meeting lasted a little over an hour. When it ended, Cana gave Natsu a white coin, similar to a poker chip.

"It's a twenty-four hour chip," she explained. "We don't have one for a week, so this will have to do until you reach a month without drinking."

"A month," Natsu said, his tone daunting as he gazed at the plastic chip in his hand.

Cana grabbed his hand, forcing his fingers to curl around the chip. "It _will_ happen. Just keep coming back, keep leaning on your support, and be determined to stay away from alcohol. It is possible to get better."

Natsu's fingers gripped the chip on their own accord. When he did that, Cana let go of his hand. "Welcome to AA. Hope to see you this Sunday."

"I'll be here," he promised, feeling a small flicker of hope in his heart. He glanced over, seeing Lucy smiling at him. "What?"

"Nothing," she said, taking a step closer to her boyfriend. "I'm just proud of you."

"Thanks." He already felt a blush form on his cheeks. "Let's get going, I'm starving," he wrapped an arm around Lucy, wincing when he remembered once again that he couldn't just do that with the arm on his bad side like he wanted to.

Lucy moved around until she was on his non-injured side so he could hold her as they left the building. "Thanks for coming with me," Natsu took a deep breath, letting the fresh air fill his lungs even if it hurt his ribs.

He might not have participated during his first meeting, but he did feel a tiny bit better. After seeing everyone else's success, it made him hopeful for his own recovery.

Lucy leaned into his body as they walked down the sidewalk together. "I'll be there for you whenever you need me."

Natsu didn't have to ask. He already knew she meant it.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the kudos and hits. Thank you to those who commented: E._.Otaku and Miraculous_kid!
> 
> Up next, Chapter Fifteen: Cookout
> 
> If you can't tell, I'm trying to wrap up this story. We are over halfway through right now. I'm estimating twenty chapters total, but we'll see. I understand this chapter had a lot to take in, but hopefully it wasn't too confusing. Keep in mind I have no experience with the law/court/lawyers, so I'm getting my information from the internet. If you see something that is incorrect please let me know so I can adjust it.
> 
> I'm sorry for the lack of smut, but I'm honestly not in the mood to write it at the moment. I'm going through some personal things, and it's making it impossible to write decent smut. If you'd like to know what personal things I'm going through, you can find out in one of my other stories. "Various NALU one-shots" chapter 7, "I miss you." To those who already know and said something to me about it, thank you. Your words really help. It still hurts, but it's good to know I'm not the only one going through this.
> 
> Let me know what you thought of this chapter, or if you have any suggestions. Thank you for reading. Have a good day/night!


	15. Cookout

**Chapter Fifteen: Cookout**

Natsu's body jerked up, his eyes going wide as he made out the sound of a scream around him. He fumbled with the lamp on his nightstand, trying to get the light on to make searching for the source of the noise easier. Just as he flipped on the lights, he heard another pained scream, then felt the bed jostle.

He snapped his head to the side, seeing Lucy's writhing body next to him. Her forehead was damp with sweat, her eyes screwed shut as she clenched her teeth. She let out another horrible scream, but it was cut short when Natsu grabbed her shoulders, shaking her awake.

It turned out to be a bad decision. Lucy struck before her eyes even opened. Nails scratched against his face, leaving behind broken skin and beads of blood. She tore through his skin so quickly he barely even felt it, but it stung afterwards, especially when she opened her eyes and screamed, "get the hell away from me!"

Natsu flinched, watching as Lucy pushed off with her hands to get as far away from him as possible. Unfortunately for her, that meant falling out of the bed. Her wide dull eyes flashed with recognition for her mistake a little too late as she fell off the bed backwards and landed on her butt.

The impact didn't cause her to make any noises, but promptly after that Natsu heard her sniffle, followed by the sound of her sobbing. That seemed to snap him out of his daze. He quickly shuffled to the other side of the bed, looking down to see the girl hugging herself, her body sideways against the ground. When he said her name, she only shook her head, crying harder.

"Lucy," he tried again, slowly slipping from the bed to sit beside her. He hated seeing her in pain, even if she caused him some discomfort as well. The lines on his cheek were now puffy and inflamed, blood dripping down his face and sliding down his neck.

"Lucy, are you okay?" Natsu asked, and her response broke his heart.

"N-no!" She shook her head again, this time allowing the side of her face to beat against the floor. "I-I thought... I thought you... you were... J-Ja..." Lucy closed her mouth, more tears streaming down her face.

Natsu knew better, but his heart didn't care. He wrapped his arms around her, feeling her tense in his hold. He picked her up, bringing her closer until her body laid in his lap, her legs dangling over the side as her head was brought to his chest.

"It's okay, Luce," Natsu cooed, trying to keep his voice as soft as possible. He didn't want to scare her further, but he didn't want her to feel like she was alone. "It was just a bad dream. He can't hurt you. I won't let him."

His words seemed to help ease the tension in her body. She slowly relaxed, though her tears didn't stop falling. Lucy leaned into his touch, allowing him to comfort her. She whispered an apology, but he already forgave her the instant it happened, so there was no reason for her to feel bad.

"I love you," he mumbled against the crown of her head. "I'm here no matter what, you don't have to worry anymore."

Lucy nodded, her tears smearing against his bare chest. He kept his hold on her secure, feeling if he let her go too soon she'd feel like he was letting her down. It was a stupid way of thinking, but he didn't care. He just wanted her to feel as secure as his grip.

"Do you want something to drink? Or maybe something to eat?"

Lucy's answer was muffled, her voice low. "M-maybe some water?" She had trouble breathing, her throat feeling tight and dry.

"Okay," Natsu nodded, then tightened the hold he had on her for a moment to squeeze her. "Let's get you back in bed. I'll be right back."

He carefully shifted Lucy to his lap. As much as he would have liked to pick her up as he stood, that just wasn't practical, especially for a man with broken ribs who just woke up.

Speaking of which, he started feeling just how bad of an idea it was to move around like that. His side felt like someone stabbed him with a white-hot rod. Natsu grit his teeth through the pain as he helped Lucy to his feet. He was about to guide her to the bed, but then he noticed the wet spot on the sheets right beside and on her pillow.

He sighed, realizing her sweat soaked into the material. Natsu told her to sit on the edge of the bed while he was gone. He was hesitant to leave, not wanting Lucy to feel abandoned, even if he was only going to be gone a few minutes.

In a strained voice, Lucy told him she was fine on her own. He nodded, trusting her judgement. He placed a kiss to her temple, feeling the sweat that clung to her heated skin.

Natsu was quick, rushing to the kitchen to fetch a glass of water, then went to the laundry room where a spare pillowcase was kept. He grabbed new sheets as well, knowing sleeping on a towel might be uncomfortable, even if he used his best one.

When he returned to his room, Lucy was still in the same spot, however he noticed she changed shirts. She stared at the wall, stroking the blue feline that was now in her lap. He guessed Happy was trying to comfort her as well. It seemed to work, seeing as she wasn't crying anymore.

"May I?" Natsu asked, holding up the sheets and pillowcase in one hand.

"Yeah," Lucy nodded, but delayed standing up. She clutched Happy to her chest as she rose, not wanting the cat to run away from her. She thanked Natsu when he handed her the glass of water, then moved to the side as he changed the sheets and pillowcase.

Lucy stayed quiet during the process, feeling ashamed for letting herself be controlled by her fears. The dream she had felt so real. It felt like Jackal was right next to her, choking her after she refused to have sex with him. Lucy couldn't help but feel worse when Natsu walked up to her again, a soft smile on his lips as he asked her if she was ready for bed. That brought on more tears, followed by her shakily telling him he should clean up his face.

Natsu brought the tips of his fingers up to his left cheek, pulling them away only to find blood staining the pads of his fingers. "Oh, yeah. I'll be right back," Natsu's smile grew a little wider when he said, "you're a pretty good fighter, ya know that?"

Lucy's eyes widened, finding it bizarre that he was joking at a time like this. She knew she shouldn't have, but she allowed herself a smile too. "M-maybe..."

A knowing glint shinned in Natsu's eyes as he nodded. "Sounds good." With that, he left, going to his bathroom to bandage up his face. He came back a few minutes later, band-aids messily sticking to his skin. She thought it seemed appropriate, seeing as even when he was younger he was bad at putting on bandages.

The only thing keeping her from suggesting that she redo it was the tired look in his eyes. Now that all the commotion had died down, the exhaustion set in. This was his first real sleep in a week, and she interrupted it with her screaming.

Natsu didn't hold it against her, knowing it couldn't be helped. He wasn't surprised that she was experiencing bad dreams. He was honestly expecting them a lot sooner. He could only guess that the constant running around Crocus kept her too tired to dream, seeing as he hadn't dreamed all week either.

"Let's go to bed?" Natsu gently placed a hand on her back, guiding her to the bed. She went without protests, wanting the sweet embrace of sleep to consume her. Everything in her body and mind was sore, so she could only imagine how Natsu felt.

She got her answer when she saw him go to his pill bottle on his night stand. He popped one without a drink, swallowing hard to force the medication down. His doctor told him to use them when he felt pain, so she knew he wasn't in the best condition right now.

Natsu said nothing as he slipped into the bed, crawling under the covers with Lucy and Happy. The cat was snuggled between them, taking advantage of the warmth that came from two occupants.

Natsu was the first to fall asleep, muttering an, 'I love you', after turning off the lamp. Happy was second, cuddled closer to Lucy's chest than anything else. Lucy stayed awake for a while longer, her mind overthinking about her situation. Nothing had changed, but she felt so much worse. She thought being with Natsu would keep the nightmares away, but tonight proved she was just being naive. It'd take a lot more work than she previously thought.

Lucy sighed, silent tears welling up in her eyes as she tried to blink them away. She was willing to try to get better... She just hoped Natsu was willing to be patient with her. After tonight, she felt like maybe he would wait for her to get better, but she wouldn't blame him if he gave up on her.

Lucy was on the verge of giving up on herself too.

* * *

The next morning Natsu and Lucy got to work. After they ate the breakfast she made, Natsu popped a pill so they could take a taxi. He was a little hesitant with taking his pain medication, especially after he felt it kick in, but he wouldn't tell Lucy about that. She already had a lot on her mind.

Their first destination was the same building where Natsu's AA meeting was held. It was a wellness center that offered multiple treatments to get people clean of drugs and alcohol, or help get them better if they were sick or mentally ill. Lucy signed up for counseling immediately, knowing it was something she definitely needed. Last night was enough proof of that.

Lucy felt awful for scratching Natsu's face, but he brushed it off, saying he had much worse before. The hollow feeling in Lucy's chest seemed to come and go throughout the day, mainly when there was a lull in their conversations.

Natsu did his best to cheer her up, and for that she was grateful. He just wanted to see her smile again, and a few times she did. They were short-lived, but they still meant the world to Natsu, so he just kept on trying. He didn't want anything to feel forced, but he hoped that she would cheer up soon.

After signing Lucy up for counseling, the couple went out to lunch. They didn't go anywhere fancy, just stopping by a fast-food joint for a quick bite. Natsu tried to pay, but Lucy refused, saying she wanted to treat him. As much as he wanted to protest, he didn't want to rock the boat, so he kept quiet.

When they were finished with lunch they went to Magnolia's biggest department store. Lucy stocked up on some essentials since she didn't have much. She didn't bring back a lot of stuff with her from Crocus.

Lucy bought new underwear and bras, shirts and jeans, and even a few skirts. Of course she had to purchase some leggings too since she didn't want anyone seeing her scars if she chose to wear a skirt.

Natsu wasn't much help with picking out clothes for her. She would ask him if something looked nice, and all he could respond with was, "I think it looks great on you."

It wasn't a lie, but it also wasn't helpful. Especially when he said that to a hideous dress that Lucy felt shouldn't have seen the light of day. Lucy wouldn't deny it, she was testing him, and he failed. That resulted in her picking her own clothes while Natsu acted as a human shopping cart, holding all her items as she gathered more.

Once again, Natsu didn't mind. Especially when Lucy got embarrassed over the many looks people were sending their way. He only smiled while her face broke out into a blush. It was cute, and he let her know.

They got home a while later. Natsu cleared out some drawer space for her and shifted some of his clothes he rarely used from his bedroom closet to the closet in the hall. Lucy thanked him with a kiss, then started getting to work moving in with Natsu.

Lucy got a sudden shock to her heart when Natsu came into the bedroom after she finished hanging the last article of clothing. He grabbed her hips, causing her to jolt and turn to face him, but that wasn't what shocked her. It was the small item resting between his fingers that drew a gasp from her lips.

"R-really?" She looked up from the golden color, meeting his emerald eyes.

"Yeah. I want to make it official." He placed the item in her hands, gently forcing her fingers to curl over it. "Is that okay? I'm not rushing anything, am I?" Despite his worries he held a smile, knowing in his heart this was what he wanted to do. He had dreamed of this moment for far longer than he should have.

"N-no," she shook her head, grasping the item on her own accord. The jagged edges dug into her palm, but she barely felt it, the feeling of her pounding heart gaining all her focus. "I love it."

Natsu's smile grew brighter. "Yeah?"

"Yes," Lucy took a step closer to him, carefully wrapping him in a half-hug, avoiding his injury. "I love you."

"I love you too, Luce." He closed his eyes, breathing in the smell of her shampoo. Well, it was technically his shampoo, but for some reason it sent delicious shivers to his crotch. He quickly dispelled the lewd thoughts bubbling up, instead deciding to ask, "I was going to wait and get one made in pink, but I couldn't wait."

Lucy pulled back, her own grin gracing her lips. She looked down, releasing the grip she had on the item to reveal it. Resting in her palm was a golden key, little black words written in sharpie adorned the bow.

**Welcome home**

"Thank you," Lucy closed her hand again, really feeling the cool metal against her skin. "Thank you for everything."

She felt tears well up in her eyes. She didn't feel like she deserved this, but it would be rude to not accept his kindness. Lucy knew he wanted her around, even if the idea seemed weird to her. It had been so long since someone legitimately wanted her to be there, besides her mother.

Her mother was always happy to have her visit, but a parent's love and the love of a significant other was different. Jackal had never showed her true love, he just wanted her for his own selfish reasons. Sure he was nice to her in the very beginning of their 'relationship', but it was all a facade. As soon as they were pronounced man and wife he shed that mask and showed his true colors.

Verbal abuse was first, then physical abuse and rape were tossed in at the same time. She got away with roughly fifteen months before he started forcing himself on her. Before that she just accepted whatever he gave her just to get it over with. She would always remember the day he raped her for the first time. It was the day she gave up on trying to talk to Natsu, and the day that her last shred of sanity broke.

"You're welcome," Natsu whispered. He smiled brightly, eyes closing as he enjoyed the simple moment with her. He wanted her to feel like she wasn't just a guest at his place. He wanted her to feel welcomed, to feel like she belonged. Giving her a key meant a great deal to him considering he'd never given his ex-girlfriend's keys. It just never felt right, so he never entertained the thought.

But with Lucy, it just felt perfect.

The couple broke apart after a few more moments. Lucy's eyes were watery, and Natsu's cheeks were tinted red. "You wanna watch a movie before the party?"

"Yeah." Lucy found the idea of just relaxing on his couch fantastic. After everything recently, this was what she needed. She needed some quality time with her best friend, just like when they were younger.

Natsu popped in a random movie and snuggled up to Lucy on the couch. He felt a twinge of pain in his side, but he did his best to ignore it. He felt the effects of his pain medication wear off, but he didn't break away from Lucy to go refill his body's craving for another pill. Lucy just felt too good wrapped up in his arms, so he stayed with her until the credits started rolling.

As Natsu - _reluctantly_ \- pulled away from Lucy to take the movie out, Lucy went to the kitchen to fix them up a quick snack before the party. Neither knew what to expect since Lucy hadn't been to a Strauss party years and neither had Natsu, both for different reasons. So they thought eating before hand might help.

Just as Lucy was about to finish making some sandwiches for them her phone started buzzing on the coffee table. She didn't stop placing peppers on Natsu's sandwich as she asked, "can you see who that is?"

Natsu, who was still on the couch glanced at her phone, an eyebrow raising when he read the contact name. "Uhh... It says 'Mustache Face'?"

"Oh!" Lucy shot him a look. "That's my lawyer, can you answer it?"

"Sure." Natsu swiped the green bar over, taking the call. "Hello?"

_"Good evening, is Miss Heartfilia there?"_

"Yeah, give me a sec."

Natsu stood up, languidly making his way over to the kitchen. He moved slowly due to the throbbing in his side, not because he didn't want Lucy to talk to her lawyer. Admittedly today was turning around, and Lucy had finally kept that sweet smile on her face. Natsu was worried the call would upset her, because there was only two reasons he would call.

And that was either about her divorce, or about the case against Jackal.

Lucy mouthed a thank you as she took the phone from her boyfriend. She handed Natsu his finished sandwich at the same time she said, "this is Lucy."

Natsu held off on taking a bite from his food. He watched as Lucy's smile slowly faded, replaced by a blank expression. "Oh... I see..." Her eyebrows knitted together just as her eyes closed. "No, I understand. Maybe tomorrow?"

Natsu didn't like the way Lucy's hand on the counter balled into a fist. Then it shook when she said, "okay. I guess call me if anything changes... Have a good day."

In a moment of anger Lucy slammed the phone down on the counter. It was a miracle the thing didn't break from the force she put behind it. She could be vicious when she wanted to be. Lucy clicked the red button, ending the call. A frustrated groan tore from her throat. "Well, I have bad news..."

Natsu felt his heart sink. More bad news? Hadn't she had enough? He didn't want to ask, that much was obvious by the way his throat tightened up, but he forced the question out regardless. "What?"

Lucy opened her eyes, revealing not tears, but anger. There was a fire burning behind that rich brown color, one that couldn't be put out easily. "The divorce wasn't finalized, even though he said it would be done by today at the latest..."

Natsu frowned at that news. Lucy was still technically married to that bastard. He shook his head, effectively ridding himself of that idea. No. Lucy wasn't married, technically or not. It was more of a grey area, but he would take that any day over her still being connected to that abusive asshole.

"When will it be finalized?" He asked tersely.

Lucy dropped her head, going back to finishing up her sandwich. "He says he doesn't know, but hopefully by tomorrow." Before he could say anything, she started ranting. "You know, I just don't understand it. We're paying this lawyer all kinds of money to get this simple fucking thing done-"

Natsu's eyes widened considerably, but not from her cussing. His mouth parted when he saw her grab a butcher knife, hacking away at the sandwich as if she had a personal vendetta against the bread, meat and cheese combination.

"-And he can't even do that right! What the hell is wrong with people nowadays?" She sliced the sandwich in half, then in half again, then stabbed at it off-centered. "I just, I just don't understand! Do you?"

Her eyes turned up at him just as she was about to slice again, not realizing that her hand was in the way. "Hey!" Natsu quickly grabbed her wrist before she could cut at her fingers. "Let's uhh, let's take this away..."

It took Lucy a few extra seconds to process what was going on, her mind frazzled with thoughts of how incompetent her lawyer was and how the system wasn't fair. She looked at the knife Natsu was trying to pry out of her fingers. Her knuckles were white from the solid grip she had on the knife before she finally let go, realizing what she was doing. "Oh... Oops..."

Natsu didn't comment. Instead he gently placed the knife to the side, then moved so he was standing between Lucy and the counter. He placed his warm hands on her shoulders, a silly grin on his face. "You know... You're adorable when you're mad."

Lucy's red cheeks puffed out. "I am not!"

"Oh it gets even better," Natsu hugged her, softly smashing her face against his chest. He could hear her mutter something, but couldn't make out the words. All he knew was she sounded upset, and that he had to do something to calm her down.

"Look," Natsu loosened his grip, allowing Lucy to pull slightly away. "Everything will work out."

Lucy made a face. "You don't know that."

"But I do," he promised, one hand coming up to push a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. "As long as we stick together it'll be fine. So what if the divorce takes a few extra days, or the trial goes horribly..." He cringed just a little, realizing maybe he shouldn't have said that last part.

"It'll be okay in the end," Natsu vowed, placed a soft kiss to her forehead. "Just keep your chin up."

Lucy felt her eyes water, but she refused to shed anymore tears. She cried enough over Jackal and the pain he put her through. She didn't want to succumb to the sadness, not anymore. "Th-thanks," she mumbled, dropping her head to land on his chest again. "It's just hard."

"I know it is..." Natsu wished this could all just end, but that wasn't realistic, not with the paths they chose. He wished he had better advice than just trusting that things would work out. All the years apart he felt like things were never going to get better, that things would never work out, but Lucy found her way back to him. Sure he would have loved to be with her sooner, but he understood her reasons for marrying Jackal. She was trying to save her mother. How could he fault her for that?

After a few minutes, Lucy finally pulled herself together. Her eyes were still wet, but no tears streamed down her face. She was proud of that simple accomplishment.

Natsu opened his mouth to ask her if she wanted to skip out on the party and just stay home, but she spoke before him. "We should eat."

He glanced down at her chopped up sandwich and then to his full one. "Yeah," he allowed himself a small laugh. "Better eat that before you hack it to bits."

Lucy followed his gaze, eyes landing on her mutilated sandwich. "Oh..."

Natsu patted her on the head, "don't worry. I'm sure it still tastes good."

"True..." Lucy picked up a mangled piece, popping it in her mouth. "Yup," she said as she chewed, "guess you're right."

"Aren't I always?" He gave her a cocky grin.

"Oh no," Lucy shook her head, "I stroked your ego... Didn't I?"

Natsu only got cockier as he said, "there's something else you could stroke..." He allowed her to get flustered for three seconds before bursting into laughter. "You make it so easy to tease you."

"Shut up!" Lucy huffed, but the small smile on her face betrayed her happiness. Her eyes cleared up, showing that she was done being miserable. "Let's just eat so we can go."

"Sounds good," Natsu chuckled, picking up his whole sandwich before taking a bite.

* * *

Natsu and Lucy arrived at the party about a half hour after it started. It was held in Mira's backyard. She had a lovely house with a large yard. She even had an inground pool, but it was a little cold for swimming. That didn't stop them from barbecuing though.

Natsu's mouth immediately started watering when he smelled the meat cooking. He had to stop himself from running straight up to the grill, tempted to suck in the meat and flames all together.

Instead he walked with Lucy, a hand gently on her lower back to guide her to the party. They didn't announce themselves, wanting to keep a low profile for a while. There were tons of people there, some he recognized, but a lot he didn't. He guessed they were Elfman's college friends, but he couldn't be sure without asking.

Right now his focus was on making Lucy comfortable. She had said - _on their way over in the cab_ \- that she felt nervous about going. She said she didn't know if she would be welcomed, to which Natsu said, "nonsense! Everyone will be happy to see ya!"

Lucy didn't look convinced.

He wondered if maybe it was the clothing she was wearing? She went with a casual look for the evening. Her blonde hair was down, she wore a light green top with the hem going to her mid thighs. Under that she wore black leggings and some sandals. Her top's sleeves went to her elbow, and the front was somewhat low-cut, revealing a modest amount of cleavage.

Natsu was dressed casual as well, although his clothing didn't look cute like Lucy's laid back look did. He sported a plain black shirt with dark jeans. He didn't care much for fashion, favoring comfort instead. His white scaled scarf was wrapped loosely around his neck while his shoes were simple work boots. No one would bat an eye at him or ask him why he didn't dress up. It was a graduation party after all, not a wedding.

Natsu and Lucy made their way through the crowd of people. They passed by a person who reeked of booze, but he said nothing. His hand tensed when the smell hit his nose. The intense urge to drink bubbled up, causing Natsu to feel ashamed of himself. He didn't know what was wrong with him. He got the girl, so why did he _still_ want to drink? He didn't have an answer, so he kept walking.

The further they got away from the smell of alcohol the easier it was to think. He thought maybe they could blend in for a while, ease into their surroundings before having to face someone they knew, but that was just wishful thinking. The loud squeal followed by, "LUCY!" was the thing that made him realize they wouldn't be so lucky.

A blur of blue passed by Natsu's vision before he saw a small woman tackle Lucy into a hug. "Oh my gosh it really is you!"

Lucy stumbled, her body going tense for a few seconds before recognizing the girl hanging off her. "Levy?"

"I can't believe you're here! I missed you so much!" Levy's hug tightened. "They said you were back, but I couldn't believe it until I saw you with my own eyes! I'm just so happy you're back!"

Lucy was speechless. She didn't realize Levy would miss her this much. She knew they were really close friends before she left, but some part of her thought Levy wouldn't want to be friends with her again after leaving so suddenly. Sure she went to her wedding, but after Levy left Crocus they didn't speak again.

Lucy finally wrapped her arms around her, hugging her friend back. "I-I missed you too." And it was the truth. She missed having Levy around to talk to. The girl was like a light in the dim world, always shining brightly and making people around her feel better.

Lucy felt her heart constrict, her eyes get wet, but she wouldn't allow herself to cry. She didn't want their reunion to be filled with tears or sobs. She wanted only happiness and cheer, even if her body slightly shook as she hugged Levy.

"Oi! Where'd you run off to?"

Natsu tore his eyes away from the heartwarming hug between Lucy and Levy to see Gajeel storming through the crowd, searching for his wife. His red eyes landed on Natsu, a grin tugging on his lips. "Didn't expect to see you here, Salamander!"

Natsu shook his head, "when are you ever going to let that nickname go?"

"Gihi," he laughed, eyeing the pink haired man. "When it stops annoying ya."

Natsu opened his mouth to retort, but was quickly cut off by a feminine voice. "Ah, I heard you would be coming by. It's good to see you, Natsu."

Said man and Gajeel turned to see Erza standing a few feet away next to Jellal. They walked up, then Jellal gave Natsu a firm handshake. "It's been a while."

"I guess it has," Natsu used his free hand to cup the back of his neck while the other shook Jellal's hand. He had seen Erza and Gray on occasion, but lately he'd been absent to most social gatherings and events. He mainly didn't want people seeing how pathetic he had grown over the years, but he hoped tonight was different.

"What happened to your cheek?" Jellal asked, noticing the bandages on his face. Lucy redid them, so they were now smooth and even.

"Oh, Happy scratched me," he lied, not wanting to admit that Lucy scratched him. It just didn't seem like normal party conversation to tell them she woke up from a nightmare and thought he was Jackal trying to rape her.

Nope... Really didn't seem appropriate.

"I told you I heard their voices!"

Natsu glanced over, seeing Gray and Juvia enter the mix. "Juvia is sorry for doubting you." The woman was holding onto his arm, smiling brightly as they made their way to the small group.

"Yo, Flame Brain," Gray smiled at his friend, glad he finally came out to a party. He raised a brow when he also noticed the bandages. "What happened to you-"

"Cat scratch." Natsu said quickly. "Turns out Happy was pissed at me for letting you feed him dry cat food."

"What? Did you expect me to go get him fresh fish everyday?" Gray stepped closer to him. "You're just lucky I agreed to feed him while you went on your extended vacation in Crocus. What took you so long anyways?" Before Natsu could answer, Gray lightly punched him on his chest, still smiling since that was their normal greeting.

However, that simple action made Natsu wince. "Fuck," he pulled away from them, hand going over his injured ribs. The vibrations from Gray's hit irritated the broken bones, thus causing Natsu way more pain than it usually would have inflicted with such a light punch.

"You okay?" Gray immediately stepped back, hands going up in a mock surrender. "Didn't mean to actually hurt you."

Natsu shook his head, gritting his teeth. "It's... It's fine..." He knew he should have taken a pain pill before they left, but he didn't want to. Now he was regretting his decision. Before they could ask what was wrong, he slowly lifted the hem of his shirt.

Erza was about to ask if he somehow picked up Gray's stripping habit, but she was cut off when the tanned skin of the pink haired man turned dark. "What happened?"

Everyone stared in shock at the nasty bruise on Natsu's torso. He tried to hide his panting as he said, "just broke some ribs. Nothin' serious."

"Nothing ser- Are you kidding me?" Gray looked down at his hand that had punched him. "I'm sorry man, if I'd of known-"

Natsu shook his head, letting his shirt drop to cover the darkened skin. "I didn't want to worry you guys." He still hadn't even told his parents what happened.

Gray opened his mouth to say he should have still told him, but instead he asked, "is that why you were in Crocus so long?"

"Yeah," Natsu nodded, the pain slowly subsiding. "Got in a fight."

"Why does that not surprise me?" Gajeel asked, snickering.

Jellal joined in the laughing, knowing Natsu was a pretty good fighter. "Who was the unlucky bastard?"

Natsu paused, unsure if he should tell them. He turned to look at Lucy, seeing she was still hugging Levy. He was going to ask if he should tell them, but he was interrupted when Erza gasped. "Lucy!?"

Lucy peeked up from the hug, seeing all her old friends gathered. She tried to will the tears away, she really did, but seeing all their faces again released the last bit of willpower she had. Tears streamed down her face as she said, "hi Erza... Everyone."

Erza and Juvia immediately went to hug the blonde, shouting out how much they missed her. What should have been a happy reunion was immediately disturbed by Gajeel yelling, "you fought with Lucy?" The girls pulled away from the girl, asking if that was true, if Natsu fought with her. 

"What?" Natsu looked at Gajeel, then back at Lucy. It took him a few seconds to connect the dots. "Oh, no! I didn't fight with her, I fought her... her..." He trailed off, not knowing what to call Jackal. He had a few names in mind. Dick, asshole, abuser, prick, rapist, pathetic-excuse-for-a-man, maybe monster. He didn't know what the official title of Jackal would be, considering the divorce wasn't finalized yet.

Lucy however had no problems saying, "he fought my ex-husband."

Surprisingly to Natsu, his friends weren't shocked. "Oh, that makes sense," Erza nodded, accepting the news well.

Jellal nodded too. "Figures."

"You shoulda called me, I woulda loved to knock his head against the ground," Gajeel pouted.

"I guess I can forgive you for staying gone so long," Gray shrugged. "Happy wasn't that bad to take care of anyways..."

Levy crossed her arms over her chest. "Serves him right!"

"Juvia is glad someone finally beat him up. He was rude."

Natsu felt his face flush in embarrassment. He could only imagine how pathetic he would look when he admitted that he was the one who took the beating. "Umm, well I didn't-"

"He actually broke his nose," Lucy placed a hand on Natsu's back, hoping he took the hint that she was changing the subject. "It was pretty bad, but anyways. How's everyone been? I've missed you guys."

That seemed to be all it took to switch topics. Lucy was bombarded with questions and answers. They told her quick tidbits of information about themselves, but they really wanted to know what she'd been up to. She kept her answers simple, two or three words at most. The back and forth conversation kept going for a few minutes until someone asked her a tough question. She seemed to get them to ease up when she admitted, "actually, my mom passed away recently."

Everyone fell silent, knowing just how close Lucy was with her mother. Natsu placed a hand on her shoulder, hoping it would comfort her. She leaned into the touch, allowing him to do that much.

"I'm really sorry for your loss," Levy was the first to speak up. It was followed by the others, each giving their own condolences. "She was a good woman."

"Yeah," Lucy felt those tears threatening to spill again. "She was..."

There was another moment of silence between them. The party continued going on around them, people talking, music playing, but they ignored it, giving Layla the respect she deserved. After about a minute, Lucy glanced back up at everyone. "I really did miss you."

Eyes softened, even the men seemed affected. "We missed you too," Levy started, then her lips quirked up, "but you haven't seen everyone yet! There's still Mira, Lisanna, Kinana, Bisca, there's just so many!"

Lucy blinked for a second before her wrist was being grabbed. "Come on ladies, let's go find them!"

And just like that, Lucy was being dragged away with the females, leaving the men alone. "Typical," Gajeel grunted. "Always ditchin' us when they get the chance." He would never admit it, but he enjoyed spending his time with Levy, so when she left he felt a little disappointed. Not to say he didn't want to spent time with the guys, just Levy was more important to him. The other guys felt the same way about their significant others, but Gajeel was much more reserved.

"Yes," Jellal agreed, "it does seem to happen at every party."

"It does?" Natsu asked, feeling a little embarrassed after the words slipped. He wouldn't really know, he never hung out with them anymore.

"Oh yeah," Gray nodded, hands going up to unbutton his shirt. "They do this all the-"

"Please don't strip," Natsu cut him off, snapping the dark haired male's attention to his clothing.

"Oh, thanks!"

"Trust me, I wasn't doing it for you." Natsu laughed, then Gray laughed, followed by the others. That seemed to be what was needed to ease the tension that had fallen between them.

The topics between the men changed occasionally. They started with asking Natsu about his trip in Crocus. They wanted to hear all about the fight he got in. He brushed it off, saying it wasn't anything exciting. He really didn't want to talk about his failure to even take Jackal out, so he asked how all the other guys were doing.

It seemed to work for the most part. For a while the guys started talking about marriage. Gajeel was the only married one, but Jellal would be following suit soon enough. He said Erza picked a day, a wedding in the spring. Of course they were all invited, but no one asked who the best man would be. It was too tough for him to decide, they knew that.

They asked about Gajeel and Levy's trip out of town. He played it off that it was boring, never admitting that he almost cried when he saw a doe give birth to a little fawn. Nope, he would die with that secret, as long as Levy kept her mouth shut.

Gajeel changed the subject, trying to take the focus off himself. He asked Gray when him a Juvia were going to tie the knot. He sighed, then muttered that she's been asking him the same question. She tried to do it subtly, but all her 'hints' are obvious. There's only so many times she can say, "Gray, look how beautiful this ring is," before he figured it out.

"I gotta save up a little more, but I plan on asking her soon."

That earned him some pats on the back and a roar of cheers. They were the first of their friends to get together after all, and they already had two kids. Natsu blinked a few times, then looked around them. Gray's children were no where in sight.

When Natsu asked where the kids were at Gray said they thankfully managed to find a sitter. Gray went on to talk about how hard it is raising two kids, but the other guys really didn't understand seeing as they didn't have any kids of their own.

Natsu felt his heart ache a little at the subject. Being with Lucy meant he would never be able to father a kid. That didn't mean he couldn't have a son or daughter, because adoption was always an option, but he still felt a little sting in his heart knowing his blood would never be passed down to an offspring.

He pushed that thought aside. It was a little disappointing, but he couldn't blame Lucy. It wasn't her fault her body wasn't capable of having a kid. That's just the way things go sometimes. Besides, it would be great to adopt a child. He knew firsthand how awful foster care or orphanages can be. Adopting a kid meant giving them a second chance at a good life, and all kids deserved that.

Natsu decided he would ask Lucy about it. Obviously they weren't ready to have a kid right now. They both had major issues: Him with his alcohol addiction and anger issues, and Lucy with her trauma from being abused and raped, along with her urges to cut herself. It just wasn't the right timing, but maybe...

Natsu felt a spark of hope fill his chest. Maybe in the future when they both got better they could sit down and seriously talk about adopting a kid. He felt a lot better with that, until of course Jellal asked the question he really didn't want to answer.

"So Natsu, when are you planning on settling down and making Lucy your wife?"

"Wh-what?" Natsu looked up, torn away from his fantasies of a better life with Lucy. He was already in a fragile state of mind. Did they really have to put cracks in it?

"I'm sure you've thought about it before," Gray said. "Then you and her can start popping out babies. It'd be awesome. Our kids could play together. Of course mine would be more awesome, but I'm sure you and Lucy could make some good kids."

The men laughed, but Natsu remained silent.

"They wouldn't get their good genes from you," Gajeel joked, thinking it was all in good fun. "They'd all have to come from Lucy. At least she's pretty unlike _some_ people."

The laughter continued, but Natsu was now trapped in his own head. How was he supposed to answer that? He guessed they assumed that Lucy mentioning her 'ex-husband' meant she was single and ready to get with Natsu. That part was almost true, they were together already, but he couldn't ask her to marry him when she was still going through a divorce. Plus it seemed too soon.

It wouldn't be healthy for Lucy to end one marriage just to jump into another. He wanted them to both get better before they tied the knot. Natsu didn't want to rush things, although fucking on the first night probably wasn't the best way to go about 'taking things slow'. Then again, they were best friends, and they loved each other, so maybe having sex that fast wasn't so crazy?

Natsu's brain hurt as he tried to sort it all out. In the mean time, the guys were waiting on an answer, but Natsu's face was completely blank as he zoned out. He barely registered that another person entered the mix, his mind too preoccupied with confusing thoughts.

"Hey guys! Everyone enjoying the party?" Elfman's voice entered the area a second before the giant man stepped forward. His eyes were slightly glossy, a certain sway in his step to let everyone know he'd been drinking. A lazy grin was plastered on his face, showing he was indeed enjoying his party.

"It's great man," Gray said, looking around at the lively crowd. He then glanced down at his body, relieved to see he hadn't stripped any clothes off... yet...

"Awesome!" Elfman cheered, then revealed a six-pack in his hands. "Come on guys! Drink up!"

Gray, Gajeel, and Jellal all reached over to pluck a beer from the plastic rings holding them. Elfman grabbed his own, then ungracefully opened it with his teeth. _'Ouch,'_ was all any of them could think as they watched the large man chug the beer in one go.

Natsu slowly came out of his daze, though the turmoil he felt didn't shake off as easily. He looked at all the other men, seeing them down their beers. Natsu was starting to feel a little antsy being around so much alcohol.

In the beginning he thought he would be fine with Lucy around, but she was off somewhere talking with the girls. He couldn't blame her, she deserved to spend time with her friends, but right now he needed her. Especially when Elfman grabbed another cold beer, opened it, then shoved it in Natsu's chest.

The pink haired man quickly gripped it, but some of the contents splashed on his shirt. He cringed, the smell of booze filling his sensitive nose. He couldn't deny the immediate thirst he felt, the urge to chug that drink just as he had seen Elfman chug his. He knew it would stop the raging thoughts in his mind. It would end the senseless suffering he subjected himself to by even starting to think about them.

He knew it would make him feel better...

"Come on Natsu!" Elfman pat him on the back rather roughly, "have a celebratory drink with me!"

"I-umm-" Natsu panicked. Where the hell was Lucy? He could already feel his willpower slipping, the desire to taste that alcoholic beverage and dull his mind grew with every passing second that cold can was in his hands.

"Go ahead," Gray coached, placing a hand on Natsu's shoulder. In a low voice, he added, "normally I hate seeing you drink, but it is a party after all. One beer won't hurt."

"I-I..." Natsu felt his throat get tight, the air around him thinning. Sweat trickled down the back of his neck, some beads forming on his forehead. He wanted to drink. He felt like he _needed_ to drink it.

"What's wrong with you?" Gajeel spoke up, chewing on the end of his beer can as if he could actually eat the metal. "You're usually the heaviest drinker outta all of us."

Natsu felt his heart race, his blood roaring in his ears, and a loud voice in his head screaming, _"DRINK IT!"_ He blinked, wondering if they could all hear the voice too. It didn't seem like it, because they were all still staring at him like he'd grown an extra arm.

He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Was this what peer pressure was? He thought that was just something teenagers went through when their friends were trying to get them to do something bad. He never thought he'd be affected by it, but he found himself lifting the can towards his mouth, as if it was the only way to drown out the screaming in his head and the ache in his heart.

The men around him seemed to ease a little once the rim of the can touched his lips. He could feel the spilled beer droplets on the bottom of his lip, but he couldn't taste it just yet. The smell was overwhelming, almost calming. It called out to him, letting him know if he just took a drink, he'd feel much better.

He'd feel so much better!

Natsu closed his eyes, about to tip the drink back all the way to allow that alcoholic liquid to fill his mouth, but he stopped all movements when he heard a soft voice from behind him.

"Natsu?"

He lowered the beer, using the back of his hand to wipe off the tiny amount that tainted his lips. He still could not taste it, but the smell... It was powerful. It was almost enough to draw him back in, but he resisted that urge as he turned around.

With an opened beer in one hand, he faced the woman he loved. Lucy stood in front of him, her arms hanging limply by her sides as she stared into his eyes. He felt the air leave his lungs when her eyes drifted, and he almost wanted to throw the beer can across the yard just so she wouldn't see him like this, but it was too late. Her eyes landed on the alcohol, then her mouth parted. "Wh-what are you doing?"

He opened his own mouth, ready to tell her that it was the guys' fault. They had pressured him into taking a drink. He wanted to tell her he hadn't even tasted it, so it didn't really count as a slip up, right? He wanted to drop to his knees and beg her not to think any less of him, but he couldn't force himself to move, his knees locked in position. He wanted to tell her that he was trying to end his suffering, knowing alcohol was the easiest way to do that.

Natsu wanted to do so much, but all he could do was drop his head in shame, mumbling to the ground, "I'm sorry, Luce."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the hits/kudos. And thank you to those who commented: Miraculous_kid, E._.Otaku, & Chairman (smallcat)!!
> 
> Up next, Chapter Sixteen: Understanding
> 
> Sorry for the cliffhanger. I'm working on the next chapter now. Let me know what you thought. I'm hoping by the title of the next chapter you can guess how Lucy's reaction will be.
> 
> *Anyone catch the Easter egg? If not I'll give it away. "he still felt a little sting in his heart" Chapter 510 anyone? haha


	16. Understanding

**Chapter Sixteen: Understanding**

"That's great," Lucy smiled, "I figured you two would end up together."

"Thanks," Kinana had a slight blush on her pale cheeks. "We've been dating for a while now, but we're trying to take it slow..."

"Unlike this girl," Erza nudged Levy with her elbow. "She got engaged and married so fast we barely had time to plan for the wedding."

The group of women were gathered inside Mira's house. Lucy wanted to look around for Natsu, but she knew it would be no use. He was somewhere outside, probably in the same place they left the guys about twenty minutes ago. She didn't have a watch so she had no idea how much time had passed. She could always look at her phone to check the time, but it seemed rude, so the device stayed in her pocket.

"How was your trip by the way?" Juvia asked.

"It was fun," Levy nodded. "We did some hiking, some swimming... And of course there was the cabin... It was so beautiful." Her eyes shined just thinking about it. "Oh! And we saw a doe give birth!"

Lisanna gasped. "Really? How was that?"

"It was pretty cool actually," Levy laughed, "if you get past all the gross stuff that came out along with the baby. Gajeel was so cute. You should have seen it! His eyes were wet, like he was about to cry!"

Everyone laughed, except for Lucy. She was too busy trying to ignore the slight pain in her heart from the talk about birth. She had gotten used to this type of conversation while being married to Jackal. He would bring her to social gatherings, keeping her as a 'trophy wife', but she would somehow always get stuck talking to the other wives of businessmen there.

The topics of conversation were usually their husbands, their newest purchases, and children. Even though she had harden part of her heart to deal with the subject, being surrounded by her old friends was making her emotional. She didn't know how long she could keep up her nonchalant facade.

"Of course he tried to make it seem like it was no big deal. I swear he's just a big teddy bear on the inside." Levy shook her head. "He even talked to me about adopting a kitty. He said he saw one in the shelter before we left, so he wants to go back tomorrow to see if it's still there. I swear, he's even softer than me sometimes."

Of course he is," Mira joked. The white haired woman glanced around, seeing a few hands empty. "Does anyone want a drink? Bisca? Lucy?"

"I'm the DD tonight," Bisca said, declining a drink.

Mira's attention was now directed at Lucy, not noticing the way her voice strained a bit as she answered. "Uh, no thanks. I don't feel like drinking tonight." It wasn't a lie, she really didn't want to drink. She was never all that good at it anyway, but that wasn't the main reason she said no. She wanted to be supportive of Natsu, even if he was out of view at the moment.

"Oh, okay," Mira smiled, then looked over at Evergreen. "So, I hear Elfman popped the question. Does that mean I get to arrange an engagement party too?"

Lucy vaguely listened as Evergreen started talking about how Elfman asked her to marry her now that they were both done with college. The conversations about getting engaged or college started to weigh heavily on Lucy's heart. She never got to experience going to school, trying to do something better with her life. She was stuck at Jackal's estate. She couldn't even count it as home since it never felt that way. The engagement part really struck a chord with her. She'd only been engaged once, and it was to that horrid man.

She liked to think one day Natsu would propose to her, but that was just giving herself false hope that she really didn't need right now. Lucy knew she should just be happy that he was willing to be with her. How many other guys would want to be with 'damaged goods'?

Lucy felt her eyes prick when she added as an after-thought, _'especially one that can't give him kids... He's probably better off without me holding him back...'_

She blinked rapidly, trying to will the tears away. She couldn't cry in front of her friends, but even that thought had her rattled. _'They're still my friends... right?'_ Lucy had gone through so much self-doubt lately. She really just needed to know that they would still be her friends even after she basically abandoned them for her new life in Crocus.

Seeing their smiling faces and hearing how easy it was for them to talk to her gave her a little reassurance. If they didn't want to include her they would be more closed off, just like the women she'd encountered over her past few years when she was forced to attend social gatherings with Jackal.

No, these were definitely her friends. No time apart would change that.

Lucy swallowed past the small lump that had formed in her throat. She had to get a hold of herself or else they might suspect something was wrong with her. Lucy tried to ignore the way her heart beat a little faster from her troubled thoughts as she focused on what the girls were talking about. It proved to be a bad decision when Lisanna mentioned, "yeah, they're a handful."

"What's a handful?" Lucy asked, wishing she could take back her question once Lisanna answered.

"Oh, my kids." She smiled at Lucy, not noticing the slight tick in her cheek. "You'll see what I mean someday."

Lucy felt the air leave her lungs in an instant. _'No... No I won't.'_ She wanted to say, but her mouth was sealed shut. It wouldn't be so bad if that was the only thing said, but it soon got worse. Lucy wanted to move away from the conversation, but her feet remained frozen, forcing her to listen.

"Juvia knows what you mean," the blue haired woman spoke up. "Our children are always clinging to Gray's legs when he goes to work. Juvia swears one day he'll just leave with them and not even notice."

The girls laughed while Lucy panicked. Her mind screamed danger, to leave this conversation before it got too bad. If only she would have listened to her own advice. If only her feet would fucking move!

"Juvia sometimes misses being pregnant," Juvia pouted, touching her flat belly. "She could get Gray to do almost anything for her..."

Lucy hoped this conversation would switch soon, but luck wasn't on her side. The tears were already welling up, but no one noticed.

"Gajeel and I have talked about maybe starting to try for kids soon," Levy said, "but we want to wait a little bit. You know, really enjoy being married before we have to share our time."

Erza nodded, then said, "it's perfectly normal to want to wait. Jellal and I already discussed it. We'd like to wait at least a year or so before trying."

Lucy's mind swirled out of control. She almost lost herself in her thoughts, until something tore her away. She looked down when she finally noticed a pain. Her left wrist was red and puffy from where she'd been scratching herself without her even knowing it. She hadn't broken the skin yet, but at this rate it wouldn't be long. Lucy's panicking only increased when she realized she was falling back into her bad habit. If she couldn't even handle normal girl talk, how was she supposed to function in the real world?

"What about you, Lucy?"

Lucy's watery eyes shot up, but she didn't know who asked the question until she saw Kinana's mouth moving. She didn't hear the next thing she said, only guessing that it had something to do with their conversation about pregnancies and children.

When Lucy didn't respond Kinana asked again, and this time Lucy heard part of it. "...are you trying to get preg..."

Only one thought came to Lucy's mind at that moment, drowning out the sounds of talking... music... everything...

_'Find Natsu!'_

"I'll be right back," Lucy said before stepping away. She didn't hear them ask her if she was alright since her feet moved her away from them quickly. She took long strides, seeking out the exit. Engagements, colleges, weddings, birth, and kids... It was too much for her to handle right now. All she wanted was to go find Natsu and have all the thoughts vanish. He was such a comforting presence to her, knowing exactly how fucked up she was. She didn't need to pretend with him, and right now she needed that now more than ever.

Lucy walked out of the back door, looking around until she saw where the girls had left the guys earlier. She noticed Elfman had joined them, but she couldn't hear what they were talking about since she was so far away. Her eyes zeroed in on that pink hair. It was all she needed to give her the strength to continue walking.

She was only a few feet away when she spoke. "Natsu?" Her voice sounded quieter than she hoped it would, showing just how beaten down she felt after listening to the girls talk about things 'normal people' experience in life. She just wanted to be near Natsu, hoping he could make her pain go away.

Lucy watched him turn, then saw the pain in his green eyes when he looked at her. She felt mentally exhausted from the conversation, and seeing Natsu made her feel like everything would be fine, until she saw the frown that tugged on his lips. Her eyes wandered on their own, drifting from his face to see a can of beer in his hand.

When she noticed the can was opened, she parted her lips. "Wh-what are you doing?"

She saw the turmoil in his eyes. Lucy easily saw Natsu was suffering right now. It didn't look like he was proud of his actions, just the opposite actually. He looked honestly ashamed of himself, striking her heart with pain as well.

He couldn't resist alcohol just like she couldn't resist hurting herself. They were just alike, yet also different.

Just as she was about to ask him if they could talk in private, he dropped his head, mumbling under his breath. "I'm sorry, Luce."

It took Lucy a moment to collect herself. He was apologizing? She shook her head, stepping up to place a hand on his bandaged cheek. "I forgive you," she said in an instant, not wanting him to suffer for another second. "I understand."

Natsu opened his eyes, looking down to see the scratches on her wrist. She didn't try to hide it from him. In fact she was presenting them so he could see, so he would know he wasn't alone.

"I know you're not going to have a perfect recovery," she spoke quietly so only he could hear. "Just like mine won't be perfect either..."

Natsu's eyes softened before he looked up at her, seeing the tears that shined in her eyes. He didn't think about it, he just wrapped her in a hug, careful to keep the beer that spilled on his shirt away from her and keep to his good side to avoid any pain to his ribs. He just needed to hold her, to feel her comforting presence.

They stayed like that for about a minute, neither saying anything as they hugged it out. They didn't need to say anything to understand how they felt. Part of recovery meant forgiveness, not only for others but for themselves as well. It wasn't going to be an easy process, so there was no point in acting like it would be.

Their peaceful moment was broken by the sound of a drunk man. Elfman tapped Natsu on the shoulder rather roughly, probably unaware of his own strength. "What's going on? This isn't very manly."

Natsu let out some air through his nose, then slowly pulled away from Lucy. He handed the beer can to Gray since he was standing the closest to him. "I umm," Natsu gulped, feeling anxiety bubbling up. His chest tightened as he reached into his pocket, seeking the thing that could give him some strength. "I have some news..."

He looked down at Lucy, seeing the woman nod at him for support. Knowing Lucy was there helped calm him down, but definitely didn't make it easier. It only let him know he still had someone who was guaranteed to stay by his side after revealing the truth.

The guys watched as Natsu pulled out a small white chip. "I'm... I'm gonna try g-giving up drinking..." Everyone's eyes widened at that news, stunned silent, each thinking something different about what they just heard. Natsu worried that they were judging him, but it didn't take long before they ended those troubled thoughts.

Jellal was the first to step up, patting Natsu on the shoulder. "That's very admirable of you. I wish you luck."

"Th-thanks," Natsu's voice wavered, a little shocked that he took it well.

Gajeel followed suit, but he didn't move from his spot. "Congratulations. Hope you succeed." There was no teasing in his tone, only respect for Natsu's decision.

Gray's jaw was slack, realizing that Natsu was trying to give up drinking and he had personally told him one beer wouldn't hurt. "I'm so sorry for what I said earlier," he blurted out, catching Natsu's attention. "Uhh, I'm really-really proud of ya..."

Natsu felt his heart warm. The three guys he was closest to - _besides his dad and older brother_ \- were happy about his choices. They didn't look at him with disgrace in their eyes, only support. It made things even better when Elfman spoke up.

"Natsu, I'm so sorry." The large man took a step up, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I promise I didn't know, if I did I never would have offered."

"It's fine," Natsu assured him. "You couldn't have known if I didn't tell you..." He felt his face heat up, embarrassed to have everyone staring at him. "Hey... If you guys don't mind, could you keep this between us?"

The men all looked at each other, a knowing glint in their eyes before they nodded. "We can do that," Gray moved in to give Natsu a hug. Lucy stepped aside, letting Natsu's best guy friend embrace him. "If you ever need my help don't hesitate to call. I mean it. I don't care what time it is or if I got something going on, you let me know."

Natsu's face really flushed at hearing that. "Th-thanks, umm, I will..." He glanced over at Lucy, seeing a wane smile on her lips. He could tell she was happy for him, glad it worked out so well. He felt a little sad knowing she wouldn't exactly get the same praise if she told her friends what was going on in her life.

Drinking and cutting were two completely different things, even if they were both used to sooth pain. Drinking was more socially acceptable, and there were multiple programs to help deal with it, but cutting... It was something that was often associated with mental problems, so he knew it would be tougher to have Lucy admit that to her friends.

When the hug ended Natsu said he wanted to talk to Lucy for a minute alone. The guys nodded, saying they understood. Before he left, Gajeel handed him a can of root beer, saying he went and got it when Gray and Natsu were hugging. Natsu thanked him, knowing he might have a better chance at curbing his urges if he drank something.

As Natsu and Lucy walked away from the party to the edge of Mira's backyard, he opened the root beer, taking a sip. It definitely wasn't as satisfying as a beer would have been, but it would have to do. Natsu knew he had a long way to go, but as long as he kept one foot in front of the other he could get better.

There wasn't a place for them to sit, so they stood. Sitting on the ground really wasn't the best idea since it would hurt Natsu's ribs, plus the ground was somewhat damp. Neither made eye contact for a few moments, just letting the distant sound of the music fill in the silence around them.

Finally, Natsu asked softly, "why'd you scratch yourself?"

Lucy stared at the ground, not wanting to meet his eyes. "I just... I don't know." She looked up at him, hurt flashing through those brown orbs. "The girls... They were talking about b-babies..."

Natsu flinched, but said nothing as she continued. "... I guess I just couldn't handle it... Then Kinana asked me... Well, I _think_ she asked me when I was going to get pregnant... It just all happened so fast. I just wasn't ready to face that so soon. I thought I'd have time before I'd have to explain myself," she sighed, tears lining her eyes. "I don't know if I even want to tell them the truth. It's so personal, and I'm honestly ashamed of myself... of my body."

Lucy paused before finally telling him the real reason she felt so awful. "I'm scared I'm just a disappointment to you. I... I can't have kids, and if you chose to be with me you can never be a father... I just-"

Lucy was cut off when she felt warm arms wrap around her. Natsu dropped the half-filled can of root beer on the ground to hug Lucy. He rested his chin on the crown of her head, ignoring the throbbing in his side as he embraced his girlfriend. "It's okay," he said, letting his eyes drift closed. He couldn't tell her he wasn't disappointed, because a part of him was, but he didn't blame her for that. She had no control over what her body was or wasn't capable of doing.

"The guys were talking to me about marriage and kids and stuff, and I just kinda lost myself," he breathed, fingers twitching against the fabric of her shirt. "I figured drinking would make things easier, but if that past is anything to go on, it'll just delay dealing with my troubles."

The two remained silent for a moment, letting all that sink in before Natsu started again. "Look. I know this isn't the right time," he already hated himself for bringing it up, especially now. He just really wanted to know. He _needed_ to know. If there wasn't a chance, he needed to prepare himself. "But are you willing to adopt?"

Lucy didn't respond. Instead she brought her hands up, clutching the back of his shirt as her hands started trembling.

Natsu panicked, worried that he crossed a line. Their relationship was delicate. One wrong move or poorly planned question could shake the already broken foundation they shared. However, he had to be up front with his desires. It wouldn't be fair to go on with false hope.

Feeling his heart sink, he said, "honestly... I want to have a kid." He felt Lucy tense in his arms, so he quickly added, "but I'm okay with not conceiving one of my own. There's adoption, also surrogates... though that cost money... Then again you have some money now," Natsu instantly cringed. "Not saying I'm trying to tell you how to spend your money! I'd never do that. Gah, I'm just fucking this all up, aren't I?"

He felt her pull away, so he loosened his grip. He expected tears, or maybe a slap to the face, but he was only met with soft brown eyes. She opened her mouth, but she hesitated before saying, "I'm willing to consider those options..."

Natsu couldn't help but hug her again. Her answer was exactly what he needed in that moment. It wasn't a yes, but she didn't outright reject the ideas. He felt Lucy hugging him back, the trembling in her hands had lessened now. He smiled, hoping that this was a step in the right direction for their relationship. "That's all I can ask for."

The two remained hugging for several more minutes, neither wanting to pull away from the other. They drew strength from being together. It had always been like that, even when they were younger. Of course they always played it off as being best friends, but they knew. There had always been more than friendship between them.

They mumbled, holding a conversation without moving. Natsu breathed in the scent of his body wash on her skin, letting it sooth him as he spoke. He didn't know if bringing it up would be wise given their current situation, but he figured he should throw it in there.

"Hey Luce..." He started, feeling her hum in response. Natsu took a deep breath, fighting off a wince as he said, "I think we should sign up for couple's counseling..."

Instead of asking why, or denying that they needed it, Lucy nodded. "I think that's a good idea," she whispered, hoping it would help. "It's worth a shot."

"Yeah..." He smiled, happy she agreed. With as many problems as they had between them, it couldn't hurt to seek outside help from a professional. Maybe this would be a healthy way to deal with their issues, even though most of their issues didn't actually have to do with each other.

The party raged in the background as the couple held each other. Lucy could hear shouting, laughing, and the sound of splashing. She guessed someone jumped into the pool, but that sounded stupid considering it was cold outside. "I don't know if I want to go back," she muttered, hoping she wouldn't put a damper on his mood. "It's kind of scary facing our friends again after so long..."

Natsu nodded, understanding what she meant. "Plus there's a lot of alcohol at this party..." His unspoken words were heard. He was worried he would be tempted again. Unless they stayed glued to each other for the rest of the night, they would probably lose their self-control.

"Maybe... We should..." Lucy started.

Natsu finished, "go back to our place?"

Her heart slammed against her rib cage. _'Our place!'_ She had to fight the tears that formed, feeling a fluttering in her stomach similar to butterflies. "Yeah. I think that's a good idea."

"We can always see our friends another time," Natsu added. "Maybe without all the alcohol, and with less people..." He could see how Lucy felt overwhelmed. He felt that way too since it'd been so long since he attended a social gathering. The struggle of holding normal conversations in that environment wasn't healthy for two addicts. It was weighing heavily on their self-control.

They stayed wrapped up in each other's arms for a few more minutes, just enjoying the closeness between them. Eventually they parted. Lucy grabbed the spilled can on the ground before heading back. When they finally went back to the guy's group they found some of the girls had joined them. Before Natsu or Lucy could get a word out, Levy suggested they all go inside and talk for a bit in private. Natsu looked down at Lucy, seeing if she had any complaints. She didn't, saying that would be nice, but they'd have to be leaving soon.

As they walked inside, Natsu told the group _some_ of the truth. He said they were tired and a little overwhelmed with seeing everyone again. No one challenged his claims since it was clear on both of Natsu and Lucy's faces that they weren't really in the moment. To the outsiders, it looked like they were on cruise control.

Natsu, Lucy, Gray, Juvia, Gajeel, Levy, Jellal, and Erza sat at Mira's dining room table. Gray left, only to come back with a deck of cards. As they casually played a few games of poker, everyone chatted. Once the topic of children was brought up again Lucy grabbed Natsu's hand, using him as moral support until the topic switched to something else.

Natsu hadn't been a social butterfly since Lucy left four years ago, but tonight he seemed pretty active in their conversation. He asked questions, directed the flow of topics strategically around their friend's offspring, and made sure the focus wasn't on what happened to Lucy over the past few years. Besides Lucy, no one knew why Natsu was being so talkative, just accepting that they had a glimpse of the old Natsu back.

It was refreshing, especially when they started talking about their high school days. That was a subject Lucy could actually participate in. Stories were shared about how Natsu and Gray always got in fist fights, how Erza always had to break them up, how Levy and Lucy had to pull Natsu and Gajeel away from doing stupid things that would most likely get them injured, and of course they had to talk about the time Juvia threatened to cut off Jellal's 'family jewels' because he fell once and landed on Gray's lap.

Overall it turned out to be a fun night. No alcohol was brought to the table since the other guys suggested everyone stopped drinking for the rest of the evening. The girls questioned them, but not enough to raise suspicion. Natsu was thankful. It was just what he needed to relax.

Well, that and have Lucy by his side. He still felt bad about his slip up earlier, but at least he knew Lucy was there to help him out if he needed it. It also felt good that he was there to provide comfort for her when she needed it to. It gave him a sense of purpose that had been missing from his life for so long.

Between Erza announcing that she got a full house and Levy groaning that she lost again, Natsu leaned over, planting a warm kiss to Lucy's temple. Said girl blushed, just like a teenager would if she received her first kiss. The two ignored the 'aawww's and 'ooohhh's from their friends as they gazed into each other's eyes.

Natsu had a huge grin on his face, drawing out a smile from Lucy in the process. _'Yeah,'_ he thought, admiring the woman he loved. He seized her hand, giving it a soft squeeze. _'As long as we have each other, we'll be alright.'_

* * *

Natsu and Lucy slowly entered their apartment. Their eyes were hooded with peaceful smiles on their faces. The night had gone pretty well, all things considering, but they were both feeling tired.

As Lucy went to the bathroom to get ready for bed, Natsu poured a can of wet food out for Happy. The little blue feline came running to the bowl, then stared up at him as if to say, _"what the hell is this?"_

Natsu chuckled, scratching the little guy's chin. "Sorry buddy, I forgot to get some real fish today. This'll have to do for now."

The cat let out what sounded almost like a groan, but he eventually dipped his head to eat his meal. Mindful of his broken ribs, Natsu stood up, then went over to the fridge to grab a bottle of water. If Lucy had a nightmare tonight he would be prepared.

Natsu entered the bathroom just as Lucy was leaving. They shuffled around, laughing when they kept getting in each other's way. "Here," he placed his hands on her shoulder, then stepped to the side. "Now you may pass."

"Why, thank you," she did a small curtsy, her hand lingering on his arm a few extra seconds before she walked away, a soft smile resting on her lips.

He grinned, counting himself lucky to have Lucy back in his life. After brushing his teeth and relieving himself, Natsu went to the bedroom. Lucy was laid out on the bed, clad in only one of his button-up shirts.

His lips parted to ask what she was doing, but she easily entranced him when she rose to her knees. "I was wondering if maybe you wanted to have sex?" Lucy sounded confident, but he could tell it was a facade. Her face was flushed, her hands clutching the ends of his shirt, and her teeth started chewing on her bottom lip.

"God you're cute," he leaned against the door, his body already getting warmer from the sight. He took in a deep breath, then immediately winced in pain. "Damn it."

Lucy released her bottom lip, a frown tugging at her features. "Oh, if it's too much trouble we can just-"

Natsu shook his head, cutting her off. "Trust me, I really _really_ wanna fuck ya."

She didn't think her face could get any hotter, but here she was with her face feeling like it was set ablaze. His crude talk somehow lit a fire in her belly.

He gently placed a hand over his sore spot, wondering how they could do this without it hurting. Laying on his back was the best bet, but the constant motion caused the bed to move, which in turn hurt his ribs regardless.

"I have an idea," Lucy spoke up, drawing Natsu away from his thoughts. "What if you lie on the floor?"

"The floor?" He glanced down, wondering how that might help. Then it dawned on him. There wouldn't be any movement from her actions, so the only pain he would feel during sex would be from when he tensed his muscles. "I guess it's worth a shot."

Lucy smiled, happily getting off the bed to help him get on the ground. To make things easier Natsu got naked before starting. It hurt for him to bend, but Natsu played through the pain, carefully getting down on his back while trying to ignore the stabbing sensation in his side.

Lucy proved to be patient, waiting until he was relaxed before making her move. She crawled between his spread legs, slowly running her hands over his thighs before bringing them near his half-hard penis.

Instead of touching him there, she decided to warm him up first. Her hands moved against his body, going up his torso - _avoiding his bruised side_ , and to his firm pecs. Natsu let out a low groan when she flicked over his nipples, then let out a surprised gasp when he saw her move over him. She straddled his hips, keeping the majority of her weight off him by pressing her knees harder into the floor.

Her mouth moved over his, capturing the man in a heated kiss. Natsu's hands came up, grabbing at the soft flesh of her arms before he went to undo the shirt. Lucy didn't protest the action. Her eyes fluttered shut as she licked across his lips, seeking permission. He granted it without a second thought, heart racing when he felt her slide her tongue into his mouth.

Bracing herself with her left hand, she used her right one to trace down his body until she slowly curled her fingers around his half-hard cock. One stroke was all it took for him to start growing. She felt the heat in his member as she rubbed from base to tip.

" _Mmmmm_ ," Natsu moaned into her mouth. He closed his eyes, savoring the sweet feeling of her hands on him as she brought his cock to life. He'd missed her so much over the years. No other touches compared to the softness of her hands, the way she kissed him as if she needed him. It wasn't just desire in her touches, it was love, and love felt better than anything he'd ever had before.

Natsu pushed the opened shirt off her shoulders, seeing she wasn't wearing a bra underneath. She didn't remove her hand from his cock, so he settled for leaving the shirt hanging off her arms. His hands came up, palming her generous breasts with a roughness that made her whimper.

The first wince came when she swiped over his tip. His stomach muscles tensed, his eyes screwing shut as he tried to focus on the pleasure and not the pain. "L-Lucy!" He moaned, keeping himself in the moment.

Lucy quickly covered his mouth again, not allowing another word to escape the hot cavern her tongue was currently exploring. She tasted the natural flavor of his mouth combined with root beer. She was so proud of him for not taking a drop of alcohol, even if she had to be there to stop him. But that was only part of recovery. There were bound to be slip ups and fall backs, but she wouldn't leave him. She would stand by his side through it all, just like she knew he would be with her when she started her recovery process.

Lucy sucked on his tongue roughly, her hips bucking against nothing when she felt him rub her nipples. She was extra sensitive there. She didn't know if it was from her large breasts or just something she was born with, but she couldn't complain either way. Especially with the way he tugged on them between his fingers.

" _Naahhh_ -" She briefly tore her lips away from his, panting as she moaned before kissing him again. Lucy desperately wanted to rut against him, but she knew that might cause him more pain. She could see the way his face tensed up already, so she didn't want to add to it if she could avoid it.

Deciding she didn't want to risk it, Lucy hesitantly climbed off him. It took Natsu a second to register that she had stopped touching him, his mind fuzzy and his eyes glossy. "Wha? What are you- _Oh, fuck yes!_ "

Natsu moaned when he felt Lucy's tongue slither over his cock. She lapped up the pre-cum leaking from the head before taking him in her mouth. A groan tore from his throat when she bobbed her head, but she didn't know if he was in pain or not. As long as he didn't tell her to stop she would continue, especially since she felt one of his large hands grab the back of her head to fist some locks of her golden hair.

Lucy hummed around his cock, her eyes on his chin since he was facing the ceiling. She loved the sounds he made, so she went deeper, letting him hit the back of her mouth before it touched the opening of her throat.

Natsu desperately wanted to buck into her, but that would bring on more pain. Instead he decided to push her head down, letting his cock drown in her saliva. She felt amazing, and when the tip slid into her throat he nearly choked up.

" _Nggh, gah! F-fuck!_ " Natsu's fingers weaved deeper into her hair, pushing and tugging so he could fuck that narrow passage. "Your mouth feels _sooo_ fucking good!"

Lucy had to relax her throat. She breathed through her nose as best she could, tears lining her eyes as she felt her gag reflexes about to act up. She fought off the urge to cough. The main thing keeping her going was the way Natsu reacted to her. She felt the twitching of his erection, heard the gasps of pleasure mixed with pain from her lover, and smelled the musk of his body. She used a hand to rub the part of his cock that wouldn't fit into her mouth.

Lucy didn't know it, but Natsu was also in tears. The pain was growing, but the feeling of her mouth wrapped around his cock was too intense to pass up. He whimpered when she started going faster, his free hand balling into a fist as he tried not to flex his muscles. It was no use, his muscles contracted, keeping him away from an orgasm that would have surely hit if his broken ribs weren't holding him back.

" _Aahhh, y-yesss_ ," Natsu hissed as he ground the back of his head into the carpet. His breaths came out in puffs, trying to enjoy just the sensation of her sucking him off. "F-feels... so good..." He growled when her tongue flickered over his shaft, her throat still taking the tip of him in. The sounds of slurping and moaning filled the room. " _Sooo_ god damn good!"

Lucy tried smiling, but her mouth couldn't form the expression with Natsu's cock shoved in her throat. She gagged a few times when he went in too deep or at a weird angle, but since she was in control of the speed and penetration that didn't happen very often. She tried to make it comfortable for herself as well.

She tasted the salty flavor that came with his pre-cum. Seeing that he was already leaking this much, she decided to end the blowjob so she could get some pleasure too. Natsu bit back protests that were dancing on the tip of his tongue as he felt her leave his member.

He opened an eye, shifting his head to look down. His breath caught in his throat when he saw her stripping the shirt off. "You're so beautiful," he murmured, stuck in a new trance. No matter how many times he saw her clothed or naked, he would still be impressed.

Her cheeks filled with a blush, but she said nothing as Natsu watched her climb on top of him, her amazing tits swaying with every motion. She was mindful of his injuries, keeping her legs further away from that part of his body. When she met his gaze, seeing that intense glint in his eyes, her entire face flushed with a light pink color that spread down to her chest. Her eyes moved to his firm pecs, scared to look him in the eyes again. His look was just so powerful.

"Hey," Natsu said softly, startling Lucy despite his efforts to be quiet.

"Wh-what?" Her eyes flitted back to his, the pink around her cheeks darkening. Her knees finally landed on the ground when she found a position she was more comfortable in, then waited for his answer.

Natsu brought up a hand, placing it on her thigh, feeling a scar under his fingertips. "If you don't want to do this, you don't have to." He rubbed at her skin with his thumb, sending goosebumps through the area. "I promise I don't mind if you don't want to."

Lucy didn't know why, but Natsu seemed to think she was hesitant. After thinking about it for a few seconds she guessed it made sense. After that horrible dream last night, then getting the news that her divorce was 'delayed', she could see how it would be hard to get in the mood for sex. The events at the party didn't help either.

However, seeing that kindness in his dark green eyes and the soft smile that graced his lips had her melting on the inside. She was already ready, but now she felt her heart warm from his consideration.

Lucy leaned in, her hair acting like a curtain as she kissed him on the lips. It was one-sided at first, but soon Natsu was kissing her back, his hand coming up to tangle into her golden locks again, this time without any tugging. He just wanted to savor the feeling of her smooth lips against his own.

As Lucy parted her lips to deepen the kiss, one of her hands came down to grasp his cock as her eyes closed. Natsu let out a moan when he felt her bring the tip to her entrance. He was about to break the kiss to ask her if she was sure she wanted sex, but all thoughts of asking died when she sunk onto his cock slowly, surrounding him with the tight walls of her core. When he was all the way in she paused. She was wet, but not as wet as he knew she needed to be, but he felt her body relaxing the longer they kissed, producing more of her natural lubricant.

Lucy stayed in her position for a moment, not moving a muscle below her waist as she adjusted to his size. Her stomach fluttered, her heart pounded, but her eyes stayed nice and dry. She didn't feel any bit of hesitance or remorse, knowing Natsu wouldn't pressure her into anything. It only made her desire this man more, wanting him to see just how much she admired and appreciated him.

Lucy felt Natsu's hand leave her hair as they kissed. His hot fingers trailed down her neck, ran over her side, then paused at her hip. He waited another few seconds before reaching to touch her clit, eliciting a whimper from the woman on top of him.

When he didn't hear any protests after another pause, he went to work, playing with her bundle of nerves to help her get wet. It worked pretty well. Natsu could feel her walls glide over his cock when Lucy's body jerked, her moans filling his mouth since she refused to end the kiss.

Before Natsu knew it Lucy was moving, lifting herself up only to fall back down on his cock. He groaned, half in pleasure and half in pain. His eyes slammed shut as he tried to focus more on the feeling of her walls wrapped around him. She was definitely wet now, filling his heart with pride that he was able to get her to relax that much from his touches.

He continued playing with her clit, wanting to keep the momentum going. Lucy had to break the kiss, her moans tumbling from her lips far too often to keep it up. She sat up straight, using her knees to keep up the rhythm.

Natsu forced an eye open, not wanting to miss the sight of Lucy bouncing on his cock. It was incredible, watching her face twist in pleasure and her breasts heave with every thrust as she fucked him. After a few minutes she was already getting overwhelmed. She tried to remain in control, but it was useless as she reached her first climax. Her walls convulsed around him, causing him to lose focus for a moment.

" _Aaahh_ ," Lucy called out, her hands falling to the floor to support herself as she let the pleasure consume her. "Na- _Nat_ - _suu!_ "

She picked up her speed, impaling herself harder and faster than before. Natsu clenched his muscles, only to bring him more pain. Natsu wanted to hold out longer. He wanted Lucy to come undone once more, because she was so beautiful when she let go.

"I missed you," Natsu growled, fingers rubbing small circles over her nub. Even if he'd been with her for a week, his mind and heart still missed her. Being separated for years was torture, but it was over now. Lucy was his, he was Lucy's, and they could finally be together.

She leaned down, her body weight being supported by her elbows and knees. She kissed him rather roughly, taking him by surprise when her tongue was shoved into his mouth.

Lucy traced her tongue over his, tasting his mouth as she hummed, her inner walls clamping around him for a second when she felt him move his tongue against hers. She flickered her tongue over the roof of his mouth, then sucked his wet muscle into her mouth.

Natsu's eyes closed again, enjoying the feeling of being dominated. Right now he was at her mercy, and it felt fucking invigorating. He'd have to let her take over more often. Natsu didn't grab her hips, letting her set the pace. The only thing he controlled was the way his fingers touched her sex.

Lucy pulled her swollen lips away from his, only to reattach them to his neck. Natsu shifted his head to the side, allowing her better access. He moaned out when he felt her bite him over his pulse point. He wondered if she could feel the rapid beating of his heart, but the thought was soon lost when he felt her slam down on his cock much harder than before.

" _Ga_ -Fuck!" Natsu's moan cracked from his dry throat. He swore he felt the tip of his cock hit the end of her pussy. He wasn't sure, but when she did it again, his suspicions were confirmed.

"L-Lucy," Natsu grunted, feeling her about to do it again, "d-don't-"

She abruptly stopped midway down his length, her head coming up to peer at his face. Natsu held back the desire to whimper when her teeth left his neck, but he knew she was probably alarmed from him telling her that. "Just, just don't hurt yourself," he muttered quickly, wanting to get started again. "Don't go so hard if it hurts..."

"Are you hurt?" Lucy asked, eyes raking down to look at his bruised ribs. The skin was still dark, but it had healed some since the incident last week.

Natsu gave her an uneasy smile, "kinda, but I was talkin' about you. I don't think it's safe to do it that hard..."

"Oh," Lucy nodded, though she felt somewhat disappointed. "Even if I want to?"

Natsu grit his teeth, wondering what he should say. He didn't want to make her upset, but he also knew it couldn't be safe to hit the back of her pussy like that. He settled with the only thing that made sense to him. "Just don't hurt yourself..."

There was a pause where Lucy only stared at him. He had no idea what she was thinking, but his thoughts soon ended when she said, "okay. I won't." Then she went back to riding him without any warning, drawing out an unexpected gasp from Natsu.

She went hard, but not as hard as before. His stomach muscles tensed in the worst ways, but there was no way he was giving up yet. Besides, judging from the small squeezed she was making around his cock, he could tell she was close again.

Natsu rubbed her clit as fast as he could, giving it all his attention. He barely felt when Lucy's mouth returned to his neck, his focus long gone as he shut his eyes and roared out her name.

" _LUCY!_ "

Natsu released with a jerk of his hips, filling her with his seed the moment he felt Lucy's pussy contract and relax around his cock over and over again. Lucy slowed her pace, her body milking him for everything he had to offer. She could feel his hot cum warm up her core. It was a feeling she never thought she'd enjoy, but with Natsu it felt comforting. His hand dropped to the side, his breathing coming in short gasps that left him lightheaded.

As much as she wanted to collapse on him, she knew that wasn't practical with his injuries. Lucy slowly pulled away from him, immediately feeling empty when his cock slipped from her soaked core. She was careful getting off him, rolling to the side that wasn't damaged. She rested her head on his bicep, watching as Natsu tried to regulate his breathing. Her own breaths came out shallow, but she would manage just fine since she wasn't dealing with a broken rib that required even breathing.

Lucy gently wiped the sweat from his brow, catching his attention from the action. He glanced over at her, seeing she wasn't as sweaty as him, even though she did most of the work. He could only guess that it was from fighting off pain during, but he really didn't know. All Natsu knew was that the pain was slowly fading away, and the aftermath of his orgasm was leaving him in a blissful state...

That was until he had to stand up.

If he thought laying down was painful, standing up was like getting struck in the side multiple times by a steel-toe boot. Lucy helped him up, reducing some of the pain, but he still felt most of it.

"This is horrible," Natsu muttered when he sat on the edge of the bed. He wanted to bend down and rest his elbows on his thighs, but that would also bring more pain. "I don't know how I'm supposed to deal with this for another few weeks."

Lucy frowned, not knowing what to say to her boyfriend. "The doctor said the first what, two weeks are the hardest?"

"Yeah," Natsu stared at the wall, hearing Lucy walking towards the door to his bedroom.

"I'm sure it'll pass by soon," she said in a low voice before exiting the room to clean herself up in the bathroom.

Natsu continued to stare at the wall as if he could burn a hole through it just from looking at it. He didn't want to admit it to Lucy, but he didn't take his pain medication after that morning. He already felt the urge to pop another pill right after the last one he took, scaring him into skipping out on his afternoon doses. He was already fighting off an alcohol addiction. He couldn't afford to get caught up on pain meds.

Natsu's troubled thoughts soon vanished when he saw Happy in the corner of his eyes, coming closer to him until he felt the soft fur graze against his shin. Despite him being upset about his pain, a small smile broke out on his face. He finally had everything he wanted, even if it was difficult as hell to make it happen.

He had Lucy and Happy, he still technically had his health, and he had his friends and family. He just had to work hard to make sure none of that slipped through his fingers.

With a gleam in his eyes Natsu vowed to get better for his friends and family, but mainly for himself. If he did it for other people it wouldn't be as rewarding. He had to want to change, which right now he definitely did. He wanted to get stronger to fight his demons, to cast away the stupid desires to drink alcohol and ruin his life. It was easier said than done, but he felt determined to pull it off.

And when Natsu set his mind on something, he usually got it done.

His thoughts were interrupted when he heard the door open again. He turned his head, seeing Lucy sneak back in. She was wearing a fresh set of panties that didn't match her bra, but Natsu thought she looked cute regardless.

"How did I get so lucky?" Natsu asked, not even realizing he spoke out loud.

Lucy's cheeks warmed as a soft blush surfaced. She averted her eyes, her heart picking up its beat the longer he stared at her. "L-let's go to b-bed," she squeaked, inching towards the mattress and quickly shutting off the light so Natsu couldn't see her embarrassment. Just because they were together didn't mean his words didn't cause her to get flustered.

Lucy dipped under the covers, feeling especially shy since she heard Natsu's light chuckles. It was followed by a wince when she felt the bed move, signalling Natsu's attempts to lay down. The covers were lifted, allowing some cold air to touch her exposed skin before it was replaced by the warmth of Natsu's body heat.

He wanted to cuddle her, but his injuries only allowed him to sleep on his back. Even that was painful since he still had to breathe. A few silent minutes passed, Natsu staring into the darkness while Lucy built up the courage to make a move.

She eventually snuggled up to his side, using the crook of his arm and chest as a pillow while gently resting her hand on his hip. She was careful of his broken ribs, so there was barely any pain coming from her actions. Only the slight movements of the bed irritated his damaged side, but that was bearable.

"Good night, Natsu..."

He smiled, turning his head to place a kiss in her hair since he couldn't see where her face was. "Good night, Weirdo."

"Hey!"

Natsu laughed, even when his side hurt. "Love you, Luce."

She deflated her puffed out cheeks, releasing her annoyance in favor of cuddling closer to him. She draped a leg over his legs, getting as close to him as she could without hurting him. "I love you too, even if you pick on me."

Natsu's laughter continued for a few more seconds before he said, "I only do it 'cause I know you can handle it. You're my little warrior."

Lucy huffed, not buying his bullshit for a second. "You pick on me because you think it's funny."

" _What?_ " Natsu asked coyly. "I'd never do that..."

" _Sure_..." Lucy smiled, rubbing her face against the side of his chest. "Just remember..." In a whisper, she added, "I'm not invincible..."

Natsu's goofy demeanor changed in an instant. He wrapped his arm around her, ignoring the pain as he said, "I know, but you don't have to be. I promise I'm only trying to be funny..."

"I know," she kept her eyes closed, knowing if she opened them she might tear up. "Let's just go to sleep. Sorry I said anything..."

"No," Natsu shook his head, "don't apologize for something like that. You're allowed to be upset. It's human nature."

"I'm not upset, I'm just... Well I really don't know what I am right now," Lucy yawned, "besides tired and confused. Can we just sort this out in the morning?"

"Of course," Natsu rubbed his thumb over her skin. A soft smile graced his lips as he said, "we have all the time in the world..."

"Yeah." Lucy took a deep breath, wishing her emotions didn't control her as much as they did. She wanted to be stronger than this, but the damage she took over the last four years wasn't going to be erased in a single week. She was starting to think it'd never get erased, but she had to think it would... Otherwise, what was the use of fighting?

"G'night," Natsu finally said, cutting through the silence. He felt Happy jump on his bed, then curl up by their feet.

"Night," Lucy whispered, already allowing sleep to tug at her. "See... you... in... morning..."

Natsu smiled, knowing Lucy was falling asleep. He didn't say anything, wanting her to rest. They had a long week, and they both needed to build up their strength for the next chapter in their lives.

Lucy's case against Jackal was just starting, and it didn't look like it was going to get any easier. He just hoped that it would end soon. He hated seeing Lucy like this.

Scared, confused, feeling hopeless... It wasn't like the Lucy he knew to act this way, but he would stand by her, even if she changed a bit over the years.

Because that's what love was about, accepting someone's flaws and sticking by their side through the hardships of life. He couldn't imagine another person he'd want to spend his life with. He'd be supportive of Lucy during this difficult time in her life, even if it proved to be a challenge.

He knew Lucy was worth it.

She would always be worth it.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the kudos/hits! And thanks for the comments: Miraculous_kid, Sans_The_Skeleton, and E._.Otaku!!
> 
> Up next, Chapter Seventeen: Last chance
> 
> I should give you a fair warning, there will be a time skip. Enough time for a few hearings of Lucy's case to start and time for Natsu to heal up, mentally and physically. (I want to write him in the dominate role in sex, but he can't do that if he's still in pain) I'm hoping the smut was better than last time?
> 
> Let me know what you thought of this chapter, or if you have any predictions for what might come next? :) Oh, and in case anyone is wondering, this story will have a happy ending where everyone gets what they deserve.


	17. Last chance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a little note before you begin. I want to say I tried to do as much research as I could on trials, so if something is inaccurate I apologize. I honestly did my best. *Trigger warning of violence and implied rape*   
> Also this chapter starts out with smut, so have fun. Thank you for reading.

**Chapter Seventeen: Last chance**

"Oh! _Oh god!_ You feel so fucking good!"

Natsu moaned as he bucked his hips, cock thrusting into Lucy's core. Her heat encompassed him, sucking him into her soaked pussy. He gripped her hips tightly, pulling her closer to match his pumps. She whimpered when he hit a sweet spot inside her, her lips parting as she arched her back to jut out her exposed chest.

Natsu stood at the edge of the hotel bed, knees slightly bent to make up for the height difference. Lucy's ass was almost hanging off the side of the bed, her legs wrapped around Natsu's hips. Her heels dug into the firm muscles in his buttocks, making sure he couldn't get away. That was a silly thought though.

As if he'd ever want to leave the sweet warmth between her legs. She felt like heaven on Earth.

Natsu groaned when he felt her purposely squeezing around his cock, his breath coming out in shutters as his rhythm became uneven. His hands moved, sliding up her waist until he reached her breasts. He cupped them, just holding onto the soft globes of flesh for a few thrusts before kneading them with his rough fingers.

Lucy felt the new calluses that had formed in the last few weeks on his fingers. Her own hands came up, overlapping Natsu's to move them away from her nipples. He got the message. Natsu became gentler, more cautious with the way he played with her. He leaned over, continuing to pump into her gushing pussy while his lips captured a pert nipple when he pushed both their hands aside.

Lucy tried to ignore the slight pain she felt when he licked her breasts. She moved her hand down her body, feeling his chest and abs hit the top of her arm as she reached down between them. She found her swollen bundle of nerves easily. It was engorged from Natsu's earlier ministrations on her body. " _Aaahhh_ , y-yeah," Lucy's legs tensed at the pure pleasure coursing through her body. It was enough to take her mind off the discomfort her breasts were giving her. "F-feels g-good!"

All her sensitive spots were being hit, so it was no surprise when she met her climax by both of their effort. "F- _fuck!_ " Natsu groaned, feeling her pussy trying to milk him, massaging his entire shaft. He wasn't done yet, far from it in fact. This was their first time having sex with him on top since he broke his ribs, and he wasn't going to let it end so soon.

He lapped up her nipple, feeling that hard nub strain against his tongue with every swipe. Lucy kept working on herself, her body jerking beneath him. He loved the way she looked under him. He felt a lot better being on top, being able to control what they did. Surrendering that control was nice at first, but what he really wanted to do was fuck her senseless.

So that's what he did.

It had been seven weeks and a few days since the incident. The doctor said it usually took six weeks to heal a broken rib, but Natsu only noticed the pain was gone yesterday. He would have taken her then, but they had to catch a late flight to get to Crocus for Lucy's next court date, which was this morning.

While getting dressed Natsu started teasing her, which led to kissing, followed by him laying her down and thrusting against her, which ultimately ended in sex. Neither complained. They still had about two hours before she had to be at the courthouse. They were currently fucking on their hotel bed since Jude's new apartment only had one bedroom.

Plus, Natsu doubted Jude would want to hear what they were up to that morning. He couldn't imagine any father would want to hear his daughter fucking a man he never really liked in the other room, screaming, " _yes!_ H-harder! _Ahhhh!_ "

Natsu met her demands, his body not giving up just yet. He still felt a flicker of pain every now and then, but it was nothing compared to what he felt in the beginning. His thrusts got sloppy, his tongue venturing from her breast to her collarbone. He licked up some sweat in the process, not at all minding that salty taste on her skin.

It only seemed to fuel his desire for the woman beneath him.

"I love the way- _nggh_ -my cock feels sliding in your tight pussy," Natsu grunted as he fucked into her core. She moaned in response, eyes rolling to the back of her head when she felt herself getting close again.

Her free hand moved to grip onto his back, dragging her nails against his sweaty skin. Natsu groaned at the painful pleasure, his teeth scraping at her nipples until he heard a sharp inhale, followed by a hiss.

"Sorry," he mumbled when he released her reddened nipple. Without stopping his thrusts, he asked, "are they still sensitive?"

Lucy didn't bother moving her head. She enjoyed the feeling of Natsu pushing into her too much to move. "A little, yeah."

Natsu placed gentle kisses on both her nipples before diving into her neck. If it hurt her he would give them a rest. Neither of them knew why she had been sore for the past few days. His only guess was he got a little too rough with biting her, but even then he didn't think he went hard enough to last this long.

Lucy's sweet scent mixed with her sweat was enough to tear Natsu's thoughts away from her tender breasts. Right now he wanted to mark her somewhere else. Lucy stopped playing with her clit, wanting to use that hand to tug on Natsu's fluffy pink hair. It felt so soft in her hands, plus she could use this as a way to guide Natsu's mouth where she wanted it.

She felt him scrape his teeth against her neck, but she couldn't afford to have any marks there. She was due in court that morning, and it wouldn't look good to show up covered in hickeys by her new boyfriend.

Natsu settled for sucking at the flesh over her collarbone. He desperately wanted to mark her where people - _Jackal mainly_ \- could see, but the whimpers he received when he bit into her skin were satisfying enough.

" _G-gah! Mmmm!_ " Lucy's hips moved fluidly against his, meeting each thrust so he'd go deeper. She loved being filled up by him. Not only did it feel amazing, she knew he had only respect and love for her and her body. It made her comfortable sharing herself with him.

Natsu kissed over the dark red spot on her flesh to sooth it. He admired the mark he made, knowing Lucy was completely his now. A few days after Elfman's graduation party Lucy got a call from her lawyer telling her the divorce was over, making her a free woman.

But was she really free if she kept surrendering herself over to Natsu again and again? Either way, she didn't mind, and neither did he.

The pink haired man groaned when she pulled at his locks, causing his hips to stutter for a second before he regained his speed. He plunged deep within her, hearing the lewd wet sounds that filled the air. His face broke out in a blush when he heard her scream, " _aaaahhhH! Naa-ttssaaaaahhh!_ "

Her toes curled, her back arched, and her lips parted as she panted for air. Her body convulsed again, this time more powerful than the last. She fell back onto the bed, smiling deliriously as he pumped into her spent body.

He felt a coiling in his stomach, his muscles tensing. He wanted to hold off for a bit longer, to really enjoy every bit of her before he came. She was everything to him. She was his, he was hers, and everything was perfect.

Okay, maybe they weren't perfect, but they were pretty damn good! " _Fuck_ , _Luce!_ I-I think I'm cl-close," Natsu groaned when he felt her inner walls contracting around him. He wouldn't last much longer. He could already feel the pressure coursing through his shaft.

Before he came, Natsu leaned forward, his lips brushing over her ear. He meant to whisper, but it came out in a dark growl. "You're all mine!"

As white ribbons shot out from his cock and into her body, he felt her flinch. He hoped what he said sent a chill through her body as he slowly thrust into her, emptying his cum into her core.

He succeeded in making her shutter, but not in a way which pleased him. Her hand on his back began to tense before nails dug sharply into his skin. The grip on his hair tightened as she struggled in his arms.

Natsu stopped his thrusts, brows furrowing when he pulled back to look at her expression. Lucy's eyes were screwed shut, a bit of moisture collecting at the corners. Her lips were twisted, revealing her clenched teeth. He frowned. "Luce?"

She shook her head, whimpering while her nails continued to assault Natsu's back. When she drew blood he pulled back, his cock slipping out of her heat in the process to give way for the excess semen to spill out on the sheets. He quickly grabbed her legs so she wouldn't fall, guiding her shaking form until she was laid out on the bed.

More tears flooded her eyes despite him no longer being inside her. He sighed. This wasn't the first time something like this happened. It had happened twice in the past month, both times because Natsu accidentally said or did the wrong thing.

Instead of being upset he didn't get to enjoy his post-orgasm bliss, Natsu climbed on the bed to wrap her in his arms. "Shhh, Luce. It's just me. It's Natsu. You're okay. No one's going to hurt you, Lucy."

She shook, but he felt her leaning into his touch. A whimper escaped when she tried to talk, so she settled for staying quiet. Natsu ran a hand over her cheek, brushing some strands of hair from her face. "That's it. You're okay. I promise I won't hurt you. I won't allow anyone to touch you if you don't want it."

Lucy nodded, burying her face into his chest. He could already feel her tears smearing against his heated flesh. "I got ya. It's just us here. I love you, Luce. You're safe."

It took several minutes of him whispering to her, but she finally stopped crying. It took a little longer before she was ready to open her eyes and face him. When she did he could see the pain in those brown orbs. Natsu leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. "You feeling better?"

"A l-little," her voice was strained. "S-sorry."

Natsu shook his head. "Please don't apologize to me. It's not your fault." He thought back to what happened right before she freaked out on him. "Was it what I said? Calling you mine?" He'd called her that before, but maybe this time it was the way he said it.

Lucy nodded, her bottom lip quivering. Jackal's voice echoed in her mind.

_"You used to be so beautiful. Now you're disgusting, covered in scars. Nobody will ever love you, not with that horrid thing you call a body. I barely want you, but you're still mine."_

Lucy's eyes slammed shut as she hugged Natsu. "I feel disgusting," she cried, swallowing past the lump in her throat. "I'm sorry I look like this."

Natsu was beyond confused. How did she go from being upset he called her his, to suddenly worrying about her appearance? Regardless, Natsu held onto her tight. "I love you Lucy. You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, and I'm not just talking about physically. You have the kindest soul, the smartest brain-"

Natsu cringed at what he said. He really wasn't that good with words. He shook it off, not wanting to lose her attention while he had it. "You're amazing Lucy. You're not disgusting, I promise you that." She could be covered from head to toe in blemishes and he'd still fall head over heels for her every time. He fell in love with her long before he really noticed how beautiful she looked.

His hand moved, tracing over her cheek, past her neck, down her side, then finally landing on her thigh. Natsu felt the bandage over her flesh. "In time, I hope you see that too."

Natsu placed a few kisses on her face before pulling away. "Do you think you're up for a shower? I dunno how much time we spent just now?"

Lucy didn't want to leave his embrace, but she knew she had to go to court eventually, even if she really, _really_ didn't want to. The case hadn't been going in her favor. This would be the fourth appearance, and possibly the last. The judge warned last time for her lawyer to stop stalling and get on with it, but stalling was the only strategy he had at the moment.

Lucy rolled over to peer at the alarm clock on the nightstand. "We have an hour before I have to be there," she immediately rolled back into his welcoming arms. "I don't want to go."

"I know." He spoke softly. "Is it because this will be the first public hearing, or because you're just tired?"

"Both," she mumbled. Her lawyer managed to get the case public to put more pressure on Jackal. It wasn't the best idea, but it was the only one he had. The witnesses to her rape and beating weren't standing up for her, so she was running out of options.

Lucy's stomach twisted when she thought about going to court again. "I feel queasy." She brought her hands to her stomach, "like I'm going to throw up."

"Again?" Natsu finally sat up to look down at her. She had already thrown up last night because she was feeling nervous about court. He was just hoping she wouldn't puke up her breakfast before she had to appear. He rubbed at her stomach, hoping it would sooth her.

"Maybe," Lucy slowly sat up next to him. "I think I just need to get some water..."

"Or maybe a shower," Natsu laughed when she puffed out her cheeks. "What? I'm smelly too!"

"Only because you insisted on having sex!" Lucy grabbed the hotel pillow, lightly smacking it against his side. He didn't wince now that he felt healed.

"I didn't hear you complaining," Natsu pointed out, grabbing the pillow away before she could hit him again. "In fact it sounded to me like you were enjoying yourself."

Lucy didn't let the fierce blush spreading over her cheeks stop her from sticking her tongue at him. "Can you blame me," she moved, her legs straddling his hips.

Natsu sucked in a breath, her chocolate orbs pinning him down. They were still completely naked, her womanhood pressing against his spent cock. Lucy didn't mind. Her goal wasn't to arouse him. It was to be close to him.

She took advantage of his frozen state, leaning in to capture his lips in a kiss. It took less than two seconds for him to press back, slanting his mouth over hers to deepen it. His tongue pressed against the seams of her lips, but she pulled away before he gained access. "I love you," Lucy whispered, her hands settling on his shoulders.

Natsu's hands grabbed her ass, pulling a surprised 'eep' from her. If that wasn't enough he lightly slapped her ass, saying, "and I love you more! I win!"

"What?" Lucy's eyes went wide. "You can't just _win!_ "

"Well I did," he smirked, glad she was getting further away from her bad memories. "Whatcha gonna do about it?"

"Set a time limit."

"Huh?"

"You can only win for one hour! Then after that it's fair game." Lucy looked determined, but he could see the hint of amusement in her eyes.

"Alright, I'll play along with your rules." He leaned in, eyes narrowing. "You're on! In an hour I'm gonna win again."

Lucy couldn't stop the giggle that bubbled up. "If you say so."

With another kiss the two separated to get ready for court. Lucy headed to the bathroom to wash off the sweat from her body and the cum from her pussy. As she walked away Natsu stared at her nice ass. He waited until she was in the bathroom before he moved.

The pink haired man picked up his morning clothes. He grabbed his pants upside down, causing a small coin to fall to the ground from his pocket. Natsu grinned as he bent down to pick up the silver chip. He received it for being sober for one month.

He'd been attending every meeting he could since that first day. Lucy's support combined with the meetings really helped. It helped when they decided to not allow any alcohol into their apartment, cutting down temptation. It seemed to be working because Natsu was about one week away from getting his two month sobriety chip, and he couldn't be happier about that.

His recovery was going well.

He just wished he could say the same for Lucy.

With a prolonged sigh Natsu walked towards the shower to see what the gorgeous woman he loved was up to. Since neither of them packed a razor he didn't fear her being alone after a panic attack like that, so he took his time.

The door wasn't locked so he strolled right in. Natsu pulled the shower curtain back a little, taking a moment to admire Lucy's figure. "Do you mind company?"

"Not at all," she smiled back at him, the darkness from her flashback already drifting to the back of her mind. A small blush formed over the bridge of her nose when she saw him jump in. No matter how many times she saw him naked she would never grow tired of it. He was built like a warrior, firm muscles adorning his chest, abs, back, hell even his thighs were toned. She was shocked a man so beautiful would want her in return.

Natsu took the sponge from her to start washing her himself. He took his time, tracing over every curve of her body with a gentleness that made her heart melt. Even in the stem he kept his composure, not pushing this act to be sexual. He just wanted to wash her, to appreciate and worship her.

"You're so beautiful," Natsu said before pressing a kiss to her soapy shoulder. He wiped his mouth on his arm, then proceeded to wash her backside.

Lucy's skin wasn't as pale anymore now that she was away from Jackal. Natsu figured it had a lot to do with their frequent trips to Magnolia's park. In their spare time they were either cuddled up on their couch or walking through the park.

Natsu started working over the back of her thighs as his eyes drifted over her body. For a lack of a better word, Lucy was a little more womanly now. Before she was thin around her wrists and waist, but now she was a little more meat on her bones. Natsu thought she looked a lot sexier like this, and healthier too. He loved filling his hands with her body.

He had his bad eating habits to blame for that one. Lucy had tried to keep up with him, matching him plate for plate when they ate together - _which was nearly every meal before he went back to work a few weeks ago_. Even then they had breakfast and dinner together, not to mention Natsu's 'random snacks' throughout the day.

When he finished washing her back he instructed her to turn around. She did, the water from the shower rinsing the soap away from her back as Natsu washed her front. He was careful again around her nipples, hoping they would start to feel better soon. He had an urge to tug them between his teeth lately, but he would hold off for her sake.

Natsu moved down, washing over her stomach and hips. Lucy hummed as the suds worked into her skin. Natsu was attentive, making sure to use the right amount of pressure. Lucy spread her legs when he washed her core. She had to concentrate to avoid getting turned on when he swiped over her engorged bundle of nerves.

When he was finished there he moved on to her thighs. A frown tugged on his lips when he came to the newest cut on her skin. She must have removed her bandage before her shower, exposing the scab. He wished she was doing as well as he was, but that wasn't the case. Let's just say that cut on her thigh wasn't from a shaving accident.

It happened about two weeks ago. They were in the middle of sex when Natsu accidentally triggered her into a flashback. She fled to the bathroom to calm her racing mind. There she found Natsu's razor. With a quick snap to the plastic she was holding a blade in her hand, then a second later she was dragging it across her skin. If Natsu hadn't gotten there in time...

Well he didn't want to think about it. He stopped her, and that was all that mattered. The damage was done, but it wasn't the end of the world. Natsu already knew her recovery would be harder on her. Her counselor even said so herself.

Lucy went to counseling once a week for about an hour. It always seemed to emotionally drain her afterwards, but he could tell it was helping little by little. She carried herself stronger, she smiled more often, and that old spark that once constantly lived in her brown eyes was starting to come back.

Natsu moved the sponge down to her knees, then to her calves. He couldn't resist playing with her toes, laughing when he saw her squirm when he tickled her. "You're so cute," he smiled, trying to wiggle his way between her toes.

"Stop it," she whined, attempting to stab him with her toenails. He was quicker, standing up to hold her back.

"Alright, I guess I'll leave your poor toes alone for now." His grin was large, but Lucy saw the sadness in his eyes.

She was disappointed at herself for cutting again, but there was no point in berating herself. It was a set back, but these things happen. The good news was she hadn't felt the need to cut since then, even with her earlier freak out after sex. Natsu had done everything in his power to calm her down, and for that she appreciated him.

When they both finished with their showers they moved to dry and get dressed. Natsu felt uncomfortable wearing a suit so he settled for a red long-sleeved button up shirt. He paired it with black slacks, black shoes, and his white scaled scarf. Normally he wouldn't even buy clothes like this, but he had a bit left over from Jackal's settlement check.

After his hospital bills, rent, and other bills he still had about six thousand dollars left. Plus now that he was back at work he didn't need to rely on that money, allowing him to save it for _other_ things he planned on buying soon. Of course to Lucy his leftover money was chump change, but she was trying not to touch her money unless she needed to.

Natsu still refused to join bank accounts with her, saying he didn't want her to feel like he was controlling anything about her. She accepted that answer despite wanting to share with him. One way or another he was going to accept it in return, but that was for another day.

With the trial going on Lucy was too preoccupied to find a job. The stress from talking to her lawyer and recounting her horrific experiences was enough to drain her of her energy. Natsu didn't mind her not working. In fact he somewhat enjoyed it.

Lucy was always at home to cook and clean, always available to hang out with him when he got home from work. He wouldn't mind if she got a job, and he encouraged her to try to write again when she felt up to it, but for now he could enjoy having Lucy around as much as possible.

It helped to make up for lost time.

They spent a lot of time together. Not only were they bonding, they were avoiding socializing. Most places their friends invited them to had alcohol, so they declined. A few times they went over to Natsu's parent's house for dinner. It was nice catching up with his family, even if Natsu had to continuously steer the conversation away from certain topics. It still didn't feel like the best time to tell them about the past few years for Lucy. Otherwise they stayed home and spent time together.

Besides walks in the park, grocery shopping, and counseling/AA meetings, they didn't get out much. Lucy took Natsu's suggestion and signed them up for couple's counseling. So far they'd only had three sessions, but it seemed like a good idea. It helped them both find ways to bring up issues they were having in a better way than before.

They still had a lot to work to do, but they were willing to put in the effort.

Lucy was still dressing when Natsu finished. She had to do her hair, then before she could change she got distracted by a phone call. Natsu watched as her smile faded, replaced by a frown and a sigh. "Okay. I'll be there as soon as I can..."

When she hung up she tossed her phone on the bed. "I guess Mr. King wants to go over something before court." Lucy pulled up her dress pants, then slipped on her shoes. "I thought we'd have some more time to ourselves, but I guess not."

Natsu moved to sit on the bed beside her. "It's fine," he tried to make her feel better. The truth was he wanted to put off the trial for as long as possible too. "Did he say why?"

"No," Lucy shook her head, then grabbed her bra. As she put it on she frowned. "This feels a little tight," she commented, feeling it pinch her in a few places. "Did you do my laundry again?"

Natsu felt his cheeks warm up. "Sorry. I thought I could get it right this time." His sheepish grin was enough to cast away her annoyance.

This was the second time Natsu shrank some of her clothes on accident. "You're officially not allowed to do my laundry ever again." Lucy threw on her shirt, then began buttoning it.

Natsu nodded. "Alright." He accepted her new rule easily. Laundry was never his strong suit anyway. He didn't even sort by color or by material. He just tossed everything in his washer and called it a day. Sometimes he'd even leave the clothes setting in the dryer for a few days before remembering that was wear his clothes were.

Lucy slid on her jacket, completing her outfit. Natsu thought she looked pretty damn sexy in her business suit. Most women go with skirts, but she chose pants. All he could say was, "those make your ass look great."

That earned him a flick to the nose before she went to grab her purse. "Pervert."

"What!" Natsu laughed, rubbing out his nose. "I'm just tellin' the truth."

Lucy's lips quirked up, but she would not allow him to know. "Whatever," she feigned annoyance. "Let's just go before I flick you again."

Natsu only smiled in response as he followed her out the door. He'd let her have this, seeing as the rest of the day was sure to go downhill.

The trip to the courthouse was rough. Natsu felt sick, Lucy felt sick, and things only got worse when she stepped out from the car. Instantly she was bombarded with cameras and people. They shouted questions, most of which she couldn't understand. She easily got overwhelmed, so Natsu stood between her and the cameras as they made their way to the entrance.

A few minutes later Lucy found herself sitting in what looked like a conference room. On her left was Natsu and on her right was her father. Virgo was sitting on the other side of Jude. She was no longer his maid, but she showed up to support Lucy.

Mr. King sat on the other side of the table with a notepad and pen, ready to take notes. Getting right to it, he asked, "do you remember what happened July fourth of this year?"

Lucy frowned, sinking further into her seat. "I remember."

The lawyer wrote something down. "What happened?"

She felt uneasy as she explained. "Jackal and one of his investors got in an argument. He said he was going to stop helping Jackal if he didn't agree to sign something. I'm not sure, I only heard parts of their conversation."

Mr. King's brow furrowed. "I meant later that night. Did something happen after the party?"

Lucy narrowed her eyes, a bit of surprise laced with her voice. "Yes. Do you know?"

"I do," he nodded, keeping his eyes on the notepad.

Natsu looked over at Lucy, then back at the lawyer. _'He knows what?'_

Instead of answering her lawyer's question, she asked in one quick breath, "does that mean a witness finally came forward?" After their rotten luck in court she assumed no one would tell the truth.

"Do you know a man named Bacchus Groh?"

Lucy's stomach twisted when she heard that name. "Y-yes."

"Who is he to you?"

Lucy shook her head. "He's no one to me. He works in security for Jackal." She wasn't going to mention it since Natsu was sitting right next to her, but she realized it wasn't the best idea to withhold information from her lawyer. "He would come to work drunk a few times..."

"A few times?" Mr. King asked, raising a brow.

Lucy signed. "Okay, he came to work drunk more often than not."

"Why didn't Jackal fire him if he was drunk on the job?"

Lucy took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves. "Jackal was afraid he would tell someone about what was going on in the house. On more than one occasion he walked in while Jackal was-" Once again her stomach churned. "R-raping me..."

Natsu's fingers clenched into a fist, but he said nothing. _'Someone saw Jackal raping her and they did nothing? What the hell is wrong with those people?!'_

Mr. King looked unfazed as he asked, "and he walked in on the rape July forth?"

Lucy slowly nodded. "It was in his home office. Jackal was angry about the investor... So... so he took it out on me... I guess he didn't think anyone would interrupt him."

"Can you tell me what you were wearing that night?" The lawyer jotted down Lucy's answer. It was a one strap, light blue dress that came down to her ankles with silver heels. "And where is that dress now?"

Lucy couldn't meet his gaze. Her eyes fell to the table between them as she said, "it's gone. Jackal ripped it beyond repair, so a maid threw it out the next morning."

Mr. King nodded along as he finished up his notes. "Well, we may have a chance now."

"What do you mean?" She asked, her voice small.

"Mr. Groh has finally come forward with some information that may help your case. Seems he was not intoxicated that night, and remembered enough details that match what you just told me."

"Do you think it's enough to convict Jackal?" Jude asked, placing a hand on his daughter's shoulder to comfort her.

Lucy pulled away from his touch. She was feeling vulnerable and didn't want any physical contact from anyone. Jude sensed her rejection immediately. He removed his hand from her, muttering an apology that she didn't want to hear.

"We can only hope," Mr. King said as he stood up. "Do you want me to talk to the detectives about another plea bargain, or take this to trial?"

Lucy's voice sounded dark when she spoke again. "You can offer him another one, as long as it's at least four years in prison." She wouldn't budge on that. She'd rather lose than agree to any time less than that. Her lawyer nodded, then left the room.

Lucy found herself resting her head against the cool surface of the table. She wouldn't allow herself to cry even if the memories of Jackal's assault on her were fresh in her mind. Once she felt the flickering urge to harm herself she reached her hand over, grasping Natsu's hand in her own.

Natsu felt the tight grip she held on him, but he didn't try to pull away. Jude tried to get her to sit up straight, but she didn't listen. She stayed perfectly still for over ten minutes, just thinking about the messed up situation she was in.

Lucy finally picked herself up when her lawyer came back. She brushed the stray hair from her face before looking up to Mr. King. "What did he say?"

Her lawyer shook his head. "We're taking it to trial. Are you ready?"

Lucy squeezed Natsu's hand for support. "I think I'm ready." Her voice was small, but she didn't let that stop her from getting up from the table.

Natsu, Jude, and Virgo followed Lucy and her lawyer as they went to the courtroom. The room was filled with people, most of which Lucy didn't recognize. Some were reporters, others were investors in Jackal's company. News of his rape and physical abuse charges spread throughout Crocus, which was exactly what Mard Geer was hoping to avoid.

Lucy took her seat in the front row. Natsu beside her, then Jude and Virgo following. Her lawyer already told her she would be the first witness called so she was mentally preparing herself.

The trial started soon after. The ADA Minerva Orland called Lucy up to the stage. She'd been briefed over the conversation held between Lucy and her lawyer and decided to ask them again so the judge could hear.

"Can you tell the judge what happened the night of July fourth of his year?"

Lucy resisted the urge to squirm in her seat. "Yes." She took a shaky breath. "I attended a party with my now ex-husband, Jackal."

"What occurred after the party?" ADA Orland kept Lucy's gaze.

Lucy could already feel her fingers shaking. She didn't want to look over at the man who caused her so much pain over the years, but she could feel his glare on her. Her eyes flickered to him for a moment, seeing the pure hate in his dark eyes.

Lucy quickly looked back at the woman in front of her. "We went home, and he-" Her words died in her throat as memories plagued her mind.

Being punched, slapped to the ground, pinned down, ultimately leading to-

"He beat me." Lucy found her voice, along with her resolve. "Then he raped me."

"Thank you," Minerva Orland said before walking towards her table. "No further questions."

Mard Geer stood up to cross-examine Lucy. She hated the dark glint in his eyes as he approached her. "I have only one question to ask Miss Heartfilia. Do you have any physical proof besides your testimony that my client did anything you alleged?"

Lucy felt her heart drop. She didn't want to, but she had to answer. "No..."

"No further questions." Mard Geer walked back to his table, a little smirk on his face.

Lucy was dismissed from the witness stand. She could stay inside the courtroom, but she wanted to get out of there. As she was leaving Natsu left too, following right behind her. Jude and Virgo stayed behind to watch what unfolded since the next witness called was Bacchus Groh.

While Natsu sat with Lucy outside the courtroom on a bench, Minerva Orland approached the witness stand where Mr. Groh sat. He was already sworn in so she got right to it.

"Have you ever seen Miss Lucy Heartfilia getting raped?"

Bacchus, who thankfully wasn't inebriated, nodded. "Yes ma'am I have." The dull look on his face showed he wasn't proud of that fact.

"Who did you witness raping Miss Heartfilia?"

The witness pointed to Jackal. "Mr. Tartaros over there."

"Let the record reflect the witness has identified Jackal Tartaros as the one who raped Lucy Heartfilia."

"Objection!" Mard Geer called out. "This man is known as a drunk. You can't take his testimony seriously."

The judge looked down at Bacchus, then to Mard Geer. "Overruled. I want to hear what he has to say."

"Thank you, Your Honor," Minerva bowed her head slightly before looking back at the witness. "How many times did you see Mr. Tartaros raping Miss Heartfilia?"

"Probably about five times? Give or take."

"Did you ever try to stop him? Or say something about it?"

Bacchus frowned. "No."

"And why not?"

His eyes flickered over to Jackal before saying, "he paid well to keep us quiet."

"Objection!" Mard Geer shouted.

The judge shot him a glare. "Overruled. Sit down!"

Ms. Orland waited a moment before continuing her questions. "You said he paid to keep 'us' quiet. How many others knew about this?"

Bacchus barely opened his mouth before Mard Geer made another outburst. "Objection! The witness can't possibly know what other people may or may not have seen."

"Sustained." The judge looked over at Ms. Orland. "Word it differently."

Minerva nodded. "How many people told you they knew about the rape?"

"Told me personally?" Bacchus tipped his head back as he counted in his mind. "Six."

"Can you name them?"

Bacchus nodded, then named off the six people who he talked to who said they witnessed Jackal raping Lucy as well. It was three maids, two other security guards, and one of the cooks.

Fighting off the disgust Minerva felt towards Bacchus and the other employees, she asked, "when was the last rape you witnessed?"

"July fourth of this year," Bacchus answered.

"How do you remember which day it was?"

He placed a hand behind his head. "Honestly? It was the day I forgot to bring my flask to work. I remember complaining about the sound of fireworks all night."

"I see," Minerva felt wary. She didn't know if his testimony would be enough. "How did you witness the rape?"

"I was doing my rounds when I heard a crash coming from his study. I walked in while Mr. Tartaros was already umm, raping Miss Heartfilia. He yelled at me to leave so I did."

"Can you tell the court what she was wearing?"

"Well I didn't see a lot. Most of her clothes were torn up bad, but I remember it being blue."

"Thank you. No further questions."

Mard Geer didn't hesitate to walk up to the witness stand. "How many DUI's have you received this year alone?"

Minerva already knew it was pointless, but she shouted anyway. "Objection! Relevance?"

Jackal's lawyer smiled at the woman. "You seem to think his history with alcohol abuse isn't an issue. I want to show that it is."

The judge thought for a moment. "I'll allow it."

"How many DUI's?"

Bacchus cleared his throat. "This year? Three."

"Do you have a driver's license?"

"Not anymore. It got revoked."

Mard Geer could already feel the judge losing confidence in this witness. "How many times did you show up to work drunk this year?"

"I don't know..." Bacchus dropped his gaze. "Fifteen?"

"Try forty-seven," Mard Geer corrected. "Mr. Tartaros' assistant kept a record of every day you showed up intoxicated."

"Okay, then forty-seven..."

"Mr. Tartaros' assistant also keeps a record of which security guards work each night and what their assignments are. Do you know what your assignment for the night of July fourth was?"

Bacchus didn't lift his head. "To stay at my post until my shift was over."

"Exactly. Yet you just said you were making rounds. Is it possible you left your post to do something else?"

"..." Bacchus remained silent, staring at the small desk in front of him.

"Your Honor," Mard Geer looked at the judge.

"Answer the question Mr. Groh."

With a sigh, he answered. "I was heading to the kitchen to see if there was any wine there."

"Did you go there before or after you allegedly saw my client and Miss Heartfilia engaging in sexual intercourse?"

"...Before..."

Mard Geer could see this witness getting discredited one confession at a time. It wouldn't be long before his testimony was removed from the record. "Did you take anything to drink before you walked in on them?"

"Just a little," he admitted, not wanting to commit perjury. He had already been caught once in a lie.

"Then how do you know what you saw wasn't consensual between husband and wife?"

"Because she was screaming for him to stop. He even punched her to get her on the ground."

Mard Geer raised a brow. "I thought you said you walked in while he was already allegedly raping her?"

"I did," Bacchus said, then raised his head to lock eyes with the lawyer. "But I saw him punch her on the security tape later."

Mard Geer's eyes widened just as a loud roar of murmurs broke out around the courtroom. "Order!" The judge called out as he struck his gavel. "Order!"

Mard Geer waited until it was silent again before asking, his voice straining against his anger, "what security tape?"

Now it was Bacchus' turn to smirk. He reached into his jacket pocket, pulling out a cd case. "The one we set up."

Mard Geer turned to glance back at Jackal. The man looked stunned, his eyes wide with panic. The lawyer turned to the judge. "Your Honor, I need a moment to confer with my client."

"Twenty minutes," the judge instructed before swinging his gavel again.

* * *

Lucy and Natsu heard the outburst from outside the courtroom, but they didn't know what it was from. That was, until Minerva exited the room to find Lucy. Once she spotted the girl sitting on a bench she walked up to her.

"So we're not sure what to make of it, but it sounds like Bacchus Groh may have videos of the rape on July fourth."

Lucy's jaw went slack. "What? But there's no cameras in his estate."

"That's what we thought too," the attorney took a seat next to Lucy. "But it seems that Bacchus and maybe some other people set some up. He revealed a cd, but there's no way to know what's on it without watching.

"Can you use it?" She asked in a hurry.

"We'll have to see what's on it first. Detective Chaney is escorting Mr. Groh to another room to watch it and see if we can use it. I'm sure Mard Geer is going to try to suppress the evidence, but we'll cross that bridge when we get there."

Lucy nodded. She didn't realize she was trembling until Natsu wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "You okay?"

"Y-yes," she shuttered, her heart picking up speed. "Just anxious."

"Me too," Natsu watched as Detective Chaney and Mr. Groh exited the courtroom to walk down a hall. Once they disappeared he sighed. "I really hope this can put an end to it."

"With any luck," Minerva started. "It will."

* * *

"Your Honor, we would like to enter in new evidence. It's a video of the night in question." Ms. Orland wasn't surprised when Mard Geer stood up.

"Your Honor, we would like the evidence suppressed. There's no telling if that video has been altered in any way."

Minerva didn't bat an eye. "Mr. Groh will testify that he was the one who recorded that video with his own camera. He's also giving up the name of the other person who helped come up with the idea to film Mr. Tartaros. With it authenticated there's no reason not to submit it."

"Fuckin' rat," Jackal muttered under his breath. It went unheard by everyone but Mard Geer.

The lawyer was already sweating. He didn't need Jackal making it worse. "Then we request a break to go over the evidence ourselves."

The judge sighed, finally getting a chance to speak. "You have one hour to go over it. We'll reconvene at noon." With a bang of a gavel, they were dismissed.

Lucy wanted to scream. Finally they were getting ahead and Mard Geer was delaying the process. She shouldn't be surprised considering her lawyer had been stalling for over a month, but still. Lucy felt flustered when she walked with Natsu down the hall.

They could always leave the courthouse to get something quick to eat, but the press was still outside. That left them with two options. Leave and deal with the media, or eat something from the vending machines.

They chose the latter.

"I guess I'll take a bag of chips," Natsu pressed his dollar bill to the machine before making his selection. "What do you want?"

"For this to be over." Despite it being late morning she was already feeling tired. "But on a more serious note... I'll have a bag of chips too."

"Another bag of chips coming up," Natsu turned back to the machine. "You should go sit down. I'll be right there."

"Okay," she said, her hand coming up to trail along his back before walking away.

Natsu grabbed their snacks, then went to a different machine to get some drinks. He went to the bench Lucy was sitting at. Jude and Virgo were both sitting on her right, but they chose not to eat. Natsu sat down next to Lucy, handing her the food and drink before digging into his own.

To take her mind off things, she leaned towards Natsu, whispering, "I love you more. I win."

He flashed her a toothy grin, saying, "Fine. You get one hour, then I'm gonna get ya back."

She looked back at her snack, feeling slightly better. However, it wasn't long before her mind drifted back to the trial again. Halfway through their food, Lucy thought, _'I wonder what Mard Geer is thinking now...'_ If Bacchus really had a video of that night she could only imagine how he'd be reacting.

* * *

_"J-Jackal! St-stop! Please! Just st-OUCH!" Lucy cried out on the video._

_"Shut the fuck up cunt!" Jackal smothered her mouth and nose with his large hand, cutting off her flow of oxygen as he continued to take her body by force. "Or do you want to get punished again?!"_

_Lucy struggled, tears streaming down her face as she tried to claw at Jackal's face. He didn't seem to even notice her desperate attempts to get him off her. She kicked out her legs, accidentally hitting his desk with a loud bang._

_Lucy finally managed to move her mouth enough to bit onto his hand. He flinched for a moment, then used the hand to slap Lucy's face. "Don't you ever-"_

_Not one second later the doors to the study were open. Bacchus' voice could clearly be heard. "Is someone in-"_

_"GET THE FUCK OUT!" Jackal screamed._

_"Hel-" Lucy's cry for help was muffled by Jackal's hand once again. The door shut, leaving the married couple alone again. With one last cry her body went surprisingly still._

Mard Geer clenched his teeth as he watched the whole thing. It was obvious Lucy didn't consent to anything taking place that night. She was beaten, humiliated, then raped. What made the lawyer's cold heart strain was the fact that at the end Lucy just gave up and surrendered herself.

"Disgusting," Mard Geer whispered, feeling a rare amount of pity for another person.

"It certainly is," Detective Chaney said. He held the remote, waiting until someone told him he could shut off the tape. He'd already watched it once, and even that was too much.

"You can stop it," Mard Geer dropped his gaze. He didn't want to believe his client actually raped his wife. He thought this was a case where a woman cried rape after the fact to get back at the man. Hitting her? He could admit the evidence of physical abuse was there, but some part of him thought maybe Jackal would have the damn sense to keep his dick to himself if it was unwanted.

"Is it too late to sign a plea bargain?" Mard Geer asked, disgustingly upset it would affect his record.

"We are," Minerva said, her tone cold and unwavering. "Ten years in prison with the chance of parole after five years."

Mard Geer took a seat, smoothing his hand over his forehead. "Ten, huh?" He supposed it could be worse. If Jackal stood trial after this video was shown he'd be looking at fifteen years minimum. "Let me talk to my client, and I'll get back with you."

"Clocks ticking," Officer Eucliffe said, tapping at his watch. There was no reason for him to be there other than the fact he wanted to see Jackal fall. Once he got the call from Rogue he raced over to the courthouse. If he hadn't been driving a police car he would have surely been pulled over for speeding.

Mard Geer threw Sting a glare, but it went unnoticed by the man. "I'll get back with you soon. For now I suggest you draft up the paperwork."

"On it," Minerva promised, already pulling out her phone to get her assistant to get on it.

He didn't say anything more to them. Instead he left the room they were in to walk to where they were keeping Jackal. Once he entered the man started asking questions. "Did you get the tape thrown out? What was on it? Do you think it's even admissible? What do you think?"

Mard Geer resisted the urge to lash out at his client. It was easy defending someone when he didn't have any proof of their wrong doings, but he couldn't erase from his mind what he saw. "What I think?" He allowed himself a small chuckle, though it was laced with malice. "I think you should take the plea bargain their offering you before you spend your entire youth behind bars."

Jackal's fierce stare dropped, his eyes widening and jaw going slack. "What?"

"I watched the video," Mard Geer clarified. "Not even I can save you from that."

"But-but you're the best lawyer in Fiore. Surely you can do something!" Anger rose within him. "I'm not taking a stupid plea deal. Just do your job and get this whole thing to go away. There'll be a nice bonus if you can get all this finished soon. I have a business meeting to attend at the end of the month and I can't reschedule again."

Mard Geer merely sighed. "Let me put it this way. I can't get that video thrown out. If Bacchus testifies it's legit then it will be submitted. Drunk or not the judge is going to believe him. That video shows you committing aggravated rape in the first degree. Do you know what the punishment for that is?"

Jackal leaned back in his chair, a small smirk tugging on his lips. "No, because I'm not getting convicted with it if you do your damn job!"

"Fifteen years is the minimum!" That seemed to wipe the smirk off Jackal's face. "Do you really want to risk that?"

Jackal was stunned silent, his eyes only growing more wide when he realized his lawyer wasn't playing around.

"Now, I suggest you take the plea bargain their offering. It's ten years with a chance of parole in five years."

"T-ten?" Jackal's voice cracked.

"If you have good behavior while in you can be out in five. Isn't that a lot better than fifteen?"

"That video can't be that bad," Jackal shook his head. "Just say I was drunk. I didn't know what I was doing!"

"Jackal, just take the deal," Mard Geer was growing more and more tired with his client's attitude. He acted as if the lawyer could wave a magic wand and everything would go away. "This is your last chance before things get ugly in there. Once this video gets shown, you'll-"

"The judge!" Jackal cut him off with a smile, thinking he figured everything out. "We can get the judge on our side. Tell him to name his price, I'll make it happen."

Mard Geer shook his head. "Bribing a judge? Are you stupid?" He didn't even want that answer. "You're lucky they're not tacking on witness tampering to your charges. Just take the damn deal or find yourself another lawyer."

"But-"

"-And I'd be shocked if someone else gave you different advice." Mard Geer didn't allow him a second to talk back. "That video is enough to put you away for a long time. If you don't take this deal now I don't think you'll get another chance. The choice is yours."

With that he turned around to leave. His hand barely grazed the doorknob before Jackal shouted, "wait!"

Mard Geer didn't turn around. "What?"

Jackal closed his eyes, sweat dripping from his forehead. "You really don't think I have a chance?"

With a sigh, he replied, "I honestly don't. If that video gets shown you will be convicted. No doubts in my mind."

After a long pause, Jackal finally said, "I'll..." A lump formed in his throat. "I'll... take the deal..."

"A wise choice," Mard Geer opened the door. Before leaving he said, "I'll be back with the paperwork."

And then Jackal was left alone with only his thoughts and memories to keep him company, a single question circling in his mind. _'Was it worth it?'_

* * *

"Are you serious?" Lucy asked, her jaw dropping. "He actually agreed to it?"

"He did," Minerva showed Lucy the paperwork. It was now late in the evening. The trial ended once the plea bargain was accepted. It took a while for them to draft up the paperwork, but once they did Jackal signed it along with giving a written confession.

Lucy stared at the papers. Her mind flooded with questions that would forever go unanswered. _'Why did Bacchus record what Jackal did? Why did it take so long before he finally came forward with the truth? Why couldn't they just stop him before it got so bad? Why did everyone turn a blind eye to what he was doing to me?'_

"Even with good behavior he's still getting five years," Minerva didn't have to say anymore. Lucy could read between the lines.

Lucy was getting her wish. He was getting at least four years of hell for what he put her through.

"What's happening with his company?" Jude asked. He had no say in what happened now that he was no longer a partner, but the curiosity still got to him.

"To my knowledge his father might be coming out of retirement to take over again." Minerva shrugged, "but I guess we'll all find out when it hits the news."

"Speaking of the news," Virgo started. "Is the press still outside?"

With a sigh, Minerva nodded. "We'll take Lucy out the back to avoid making a scene."

"Thank you," Lucy mumbled, her eyes lingering over Jackal's signature. _'It's really over...'_ Before a single tear could fall she felt a warm hand on her shoulder. She looked over to find Natsu smiling softly at her. He didn't have to say anything. She already knew what he was thinking.

We won.

Sure it took longer than it should have, and maybe they only won by dumb luck, but who cared? At the end of the day Jackal was going to prison and Lucy was going home with Natsu in Magnolia.

Okay... Maybe not today. Their flight wasn't until tomorrow morning, but that wasn't the point. The point was Lucy was free from Jackal and all the abuse he could inflict on her. She still had a way to go with her recovery, but maybe knowing he was behind bars would help her nightmares lessen and her flashbacks fade.

"Is there anything else you need from me?" Lucy suddenly asked. "I'd like to leave now if that's okay?"

Minerva blinked twice before nodding. "Certainly. You're free to go Miss Heartfilia."

"Lucy," she corrected as she stood up. "And thank you so much for everything you did. All of you," she looked around the room. Officer Eucliffe and Agria were there, as well as Detective Chaney and Mr. King. Her eyes fell on Natsu.

Lucy held out her hand, smiling when Natsu took it without hesitation. "I think it's time to go home."

They said their goodbyes before leaving. Lucy even hugged each person in the process. She seemed happy as they escorted her through the court to the back. There she got a taxi with Natsu.

"We'll see you two for dinner tonight?" Jude asked before they got in the taxi.

"Yes," Lucy nodded. "Just give us time to clean up and change. I'll call you when we're ready."

Her father accepted that answer, then waved as they boarded. Virgo stood beside him, watching as the taxi drove away. "I hope Princess feels better," the previous maid said before turning to leave.

"You'll be at dinner too, right?" Jude asked. Even though Virgo wasn't his maid anymore he still felt a small bond between them. She'd been by his side for years, even if it was only part of her job.

"I will," Virgo said as she walked away. When she was a decent distance away, she added under her breath, "but not for you. Only for Lucy." The girl held a place in Virgo's heart. She'd seen her grow up into the beautiful young woman she was today. She was just glad her suffering would end now that her abuser was being convicted.

Virgo always enjoyed a well deserved punishment.

* * *

The taxi stopped in front of the hotel Natsu and Lucy were staying at. Lucy paid the fare, then followed Natsu up to their room. Less than ten seconds after he opened the door and let Lucy in he said, "so what do you want to-Wait! Why're you crying?"

He saw Lucy's shaking shoulders combined with her quiet sobs. Natsu didn't waste any time. He grabbed her, encasing her in a warm hug. "Lucy, what's wrong?"

Lucy buried her face into his chest, her own arms coming up to weakly hug him back. "It-it's f-finally o-o-over," she cried, getting his shirt wet with her tears.

Natsu didn't even notice, his focus completely on trying to sooth Lucy. "Isn't that a good thing?"

He felt her nod against his chest. "Y-yes, b-but-"

"I know," Natsu's hand came up to brush through her golden locks. "This was hard." He doubted she would ever go through something more difficult than this. Even if she hated Jackal for everything he put her through, she didn't deserve to go through the trial, to go through the abuse...

To go through the rape...

"I'm sorry you went through that," Natsu pressed his scarred cheek against the side of her head. "It's over now. He can't hurt you." He didn't bother mentioning that guarantee was only for a minimum of five years. No matter what Natsu would do whatever he could to keep her safe from anyone, especially Jackal.

However, he was probably worrying for nothing. If Natsu was being honest with himself he knew Jackal wouldn't be able to behave for five whole years without an incident. That man had a temper, and it would surely be his downfall.

She was happy Jackal was going to prison. She was happy she won against him and got justice. However, she still felt dirty for going through all that for years. She doubted a simple shower would make her feel cleansed.

"I-I don't e-ever want t-to go through th-that again," Lucy's voice cracked a few times, but he understood every word.

"No one will hurt you," he almost growled. "You can be sure of that."

"Thank y-you," Lucy's arms gained strength as she tightened them around him. "And thanks f-for supporting m-me."

Natsu felt himself smiling. "Of course I'd support you Lucy." He'd support her with this and whatever else she would do in the future. He was thinking about her recovery when he asked, "so what's next?"

Lucy pulled away slowly, some of her hair matted against the side of her face. Natsu didn't notice, his eyes locked with hers. She gave him a broken smile, bringing a hand up to his cheek where she scratched him over a month ago. The cuts had healed, but she still traced over where they were.

"I have something planned," Lucy said, not talking about her recovery. That was only a small part in what she wanted to do. "But it's not going to be easy."

Natsu couldn't help the grin that took over his face. "You know I love a challenge. I'm all fired up now!"

She only giggled, pulling him in for another long hug. _'I don't think you realize how difficult it'll be...'_ She was confident he'd stick by her side regardless. After all, that's what you do when you love someone.

"Oh, by the way Lucy..."

She hummed in response.

"I love you more, and I win."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the continued support! Every kudo, hit, and comment helps! Shout out to E._.Otaku for commenting!
> 
> Up next, Chapter Eighteen: Location, Location, Location
> 
> Once again I apologize if anything is inaccurate. I honestly tried my best. So... Jackal's in prison, Natsu and Lucy are free to live their lives without worrying about him anymore, and Lucy has something big planned. :) Can anyone guess what it might be? There's a hint in the title of the next chapter.
> 
> Let me know what you thought! I love hearing from you! Did anyone catch the foreshadowing throughout this chapter? :P Dunno if I was being subtle enough.


	18. Location, Location, Location

**Chapter Eighteen: Location, Location, Location**

A week and a half passed since the day Lucy and Jackal's trial ended. Her ex-husband was now behind bars to serve his sentence. She felt safe knowing she wouldn't have to worry about him for a long time.

The air was chilly in Magnolia. Everyone was bundled up for the late October weather. Halloween decorations adorned houses and store fronts, letting any person passing by know they were in the holiday spirit.

Lucy was among them. She insisted on decorated Natsu's apartment even if only they would see it. She hung little ghosts from the ceiling, painted hand prints on the window with fake blood, and even got a huge bowl full of candy for trick-or-treaters. That bowl may for may not be empty now due to the combined effort Natsu and Lucy put in to eating the candy early, but it wasn't a problem. They still had a week until Halloween, giving them plenty of time to restock.

"I think it was perfect," Lucy mused, squeezing her boyfriend's hand as they walked down a sidewalk. "There's bus stops nearby, a park, and even a clinic only one block away. What do you think?"

"It was definitely big," Natsu said, stealing a glance back at the building they just left. "How long until you can start a lease?"

Lucy tugged at the hem of her sweater. It was orange with black shapes on it to resemble a jack-o'-lantern. She shook her head. "I think it'd be better to buy." Lucy looked up to meet his gaze. "It's a lot upfront, but it'll make more financial sense in the long run."

"How many months could you lease it for and still stay under the buying price?" Natsu wasn't much for math. If he actually needed to work at it he could, but he'd rather just ask Lucy.

"Hmmm," Lucy started to do the math in her head. "If we rented the building monthly we'd get less than five years until we hit the buying price right now. I think buying is the better option. I'm going to call my dad tonight and tell him about it so he can talk to Mr. Tartaros."

Natsu shivered. "I really hate hearing that guy's name."

"Yeah I know," Lucy sighed. "He's not so bad. His son was just an ass."

"I still can't believe Jackal's dad let Jude join his company again."

"Me either," Lucy leaned towards Natsu, resting her head on his arm while they walked. "It was nice of him to give my father a job, even if it's in another city. I'm just glad he's nicer than Jackal."

"Yeah," Natsu nodded. "Still hate his name though.:

"As long as he's helping us I don't care what his name is," Lucy giggled. "This is going to take a lot of work to get everything set up. I'm pretty sure he's just helping to look good in the public's eyes."

"Well it's gotta look bad that his son's a convicted rapist," Natsu didn't even wonder what Jackal was up to in prison. His life was not Natsu's concern.

"Oh definitely," she nodded. "He couldn't jump on this opportunity fast enough when my father asked him about it. He already agreed to help fund the women's shelter for three years. He really wants to get on the public's good side."

"I'm really proud of you," Natsu said out of nowhere. "I think it's pretty awesome you're trying to help other people."

"Thanks," Lucy blushed, keeping her eyes in front of her but desperately wanting to peek at his face to see his expression. "But it's not like I'm starting a shelter or anything..."

Her original plan was to create a new women's shelter, but Magnolia already had one. Lucy was now merely getting them a bigger place so it wasn't as cramped. Natsu felt like she wasn't giving herself enough credit. She already made plans to buy new mattresses for the new building, to hire more staff to help out the women and to supply the shelter with enough supplies to keep it afloat.

Of course she couldn't do too much. The goal was to give abused women a place to stay long enough for them to get on their feet. If it was too nice then there'd be no incentive to leave. Still, she wanted to make it better. That included wanting to set up a way to help women learn about finances so they could know how to live on their own dime.

Most of the women in Magnolia's shelter were victims of domestic violence from boyfriends or husbands. Lucy wanted to end that. She knew it was an impossible goal to end all domestic violence, but she was going to go down swinging.

"I'm still proud of you," Natsu threw an arm around her shoulders to hold her closer. "Although, I was a little surprised when you mentioned donating for the men's shelter."

Lucy shrugged. "Just because Jackal was an asshole doesn't mean all men are. Their building is already pretty big. Plus they said they already signed a new lease for five years, so I wouldn't be able to get them a bigger building anyway. I figured a donation would help though." She'd already spoken with the director of the men's shelter. The donation she made would keep them going for a while.

"I'm just worried I'm not doing enough," Lucy's gaze dropped to the sidewalk. They still had a few more blocks to get back to Natsu's apartment. A cab was always an option, but she enjoyed walking with Natsu more. Plus it was his day off, so there was no rush.

"I think you're doing more than your fair share," Natsu squeezed her shoulder. "How long do you think you can help the shelter before..."

"Before I run out of money?" Lucy finished for him.

His cheeks warmed up a bit. He hated talking about money with Lucy. He felt like it was a delicate subject even though she seemed comfortable with it. He guessed it was his subconscious fear Lucy was going to think he was only with her for her money. It was a stupid reason, but it was enough to make him hesitant to bring the subject up.

"Let's see..." Lucy pulled out her mental calculator. She subtracted the buying price of the building, the estimated taxes for it, the donation she made to the men's shelter, the amount she'd need to buy the women's shelter updated items, a donation to Magnolia's wellness center, then her big expense she hadn't made yet.

"It's tough to say. If Mr. Tartaros keeps good on his word then for three years they'll be set. They already have donations coming in and government funding. It'll also help that they no longer have to lease their old building. They'll just have to pay for property taxes every year instead..."

Natsu raised his brow. "So...?"

"So I'm not sure," Lucy finally pulled away from his shoulder, but stayed close enough so he could still have his arm wrapped around her. "I can help in other ways besides donations."

"That's true. They always need volunteers," Natsu pointed out.

"Yeah." Lucy already planned to volunteer at least once a week. She would do more, but right now she had to hunt for a job. She wanted to contribute to the bills between them, but she didn't want to rely on only her father's trust fund money. It was to be used for more important things.

"Oh!" Lucy's eyes lit up. "I almost forgot! I have something I want to talk to you about."

"What is it?" Natsu smiled. He loved when Lucy sounded excited over something.

"I really hope I'm not rushing anything, but," Lucy felt herself getting nervous. "I wanted to look into buying a house."

Natsu came to a stop. "What?" He looked down at her smiling face, but his only held a small frown. "You're... you're moving out?"

Lucy cocked her head. "You would be too."

"What do you mean?" Natsu furrowed his brows.

"If-if you want to that is," Lucy swallowed. "I just thought it'd be n-nice to move in together... In a house..."

Slowly Natsu's face softened. "Really?"

She nodded. "Yeah."

"I-I'd love that, Luce!" He didn't think twice before engulfing her in a hug, then lifted her off the ground to spin her around.

As he spun her Lucy giggled. "Let me down!" She laughed, then pouted a second later when he actually did set her down. "Wha- why'd you stop?"

"You said put you down," Natsu leaned in, pressing a kiss to her heated skin. "I'm not going to do anything you don't want me to do to you," he promised. "I don't want to give you a reason to fear me."

Lucy felt her eyes grow watery. "I could never fear you."

"Still," Natsu slowly slid his arm around her shoulder to continue walking to their apartment. "Better safe than sorry."

"Thank you," Lucy wrapped an arm around him in return. "I don't think anyone else would be this patient with me."

"Don't be silly," Natsu pressed a kiss to her head. It was quick since he didn't want to bop his nose as they walked. "Any guy would be lucky to have you. I'm just glad you chose me."

That was all it took for the tears to start pouring. "I l-love you, N-Natsu."

He held her a little tighter to give her support. "And I love you too. In fact, I love you mo-"

"I love you more I win!" Lucy said less than a second, earning a chuckle from her boyfriend. She rubbed her sleeve against her face to dry her tears. When she was done she flashed him a huge smile.

"Fine," Natsu's chest shook from his laughter. "I'll get you after lunch. Where do you want to eat?"

"Anywhere," Lucy moved her tongue around in her mouth, "maybe somewhere spicy."

Natsu raised a brow. "Since when do you like spicy things?"

She shrugged. "I dunno," Lucy furrowed her brows, wondering the same thing. It had been just a sudden urge to bite into something spicy. She hadn't even thought of it. "Or maybe burgers. I saw a sign near your apartment for a burger joint."

"Our apartment," Natsu corrected. "Huh..."

"What?" Lucy glanced up.

"I guess it doesn't matter now... I was gonna say my lease ends soon, so I was going to ask if you wanted to get on it with me, but if we're going to try to buy a house it shouldn't matter."

Lucy opened her mouth, but Natsu didn't see her, so he continued. "I have only two conditions if we're getting a house together."

"What?" Lucy blinked a few times, surprised he would set conditions. "What are they?"

"One," Natsu grinned, "we find a house with a place for you to write and me to fight with the guys when they come over. And two-"

"You just gave two conditions right there," Lucy laughed.

"Hey, those only count as one," he puffed out his cheeks, to which she poked one to let out the air.

"Alright. What's number two?"

Natsu allowed himself to grin again. "You gotta let me contribute. I don't want you paying for all of it."

"Oh," Lucy cocked her head. "But I can probably buy one without even having to mortgage it."

Natsu frowned. "Well I gotta do something. I can't just let you pay for everything."

"How about this," Lucy suggested, "I pay for the house while you pay for stuff like the utilities and such."

Natsu's frown deepened. "That doesn't sound very fair..."

"I could just put down a ridiculous down payment and we could pay whatever's left?"

His green eyes brightened. "Maybe. That sounds better than you doing it all yourself."

"But then we'll be paying extras in taxes and interest." Lucy made a valid point.

He clenched his teeth. "I guess you're right... I'll think of something..." He really didn't want her to think he was mooching off her.

As they approached the burger place Lucy mentioned, a thought popped in his head. "I got an idea."

"Hmm?" Lucy gave him her attention.

"You can buy the house if you really want to, but I pay for all the other bills."

"That sounds like what I said earlier," Lucy raised a brow.

Natsu shook his head, "but instead of you working, you go back to school."

"Sc-school?" Lucy's eyes widened, her mouth parting.

"Or writing. Just, just do something that'll make you happy." He smiled at her, hoping it would ease her into the idea. "Or you could get a job. Whatever will make you happy. I just wanna help take care of ya is all..."

"And I want to take care of you," Lucy said, then moved to open the door to the restaurant they were going to eat at. "Will you let me do that?" She asked while holding the door open for him.

It took him a second to fully comprehend what she was saying. It sounded a little bizarre. All his life he was told a man was supposed to take care of his family, and right now that meant Lucy. It might be a little weird for society, but Natsu was never one to follow the rules to a T. "Better yet," Natsu said, stepping into the restaurant to join his lovely girlfriend. "Let's both just take care of each other?"

Lucy's smile widened. "I like the sound of that."

* * *

 

Natsu and Lucy spent the next five days looking at houses. It felt overwhelming at first, but thankfully their realtor was patient and helpful. She took them from house to house, telling them what they could expect from the neighborhoods and other details about the homes.

Lucy and Natsu agreed they wanted a normal sized home. She was tired of living in places too big for no reason, so they looked for something with two to three bedrooms. Natsu was fine with this as well. He didn't need something huge. He preferred comfy. Plus he would hate to have a place so big he loses track of Happy.

The realtor brought them to about eight houses per day, but honestly it felt like they'd seen one hundred by the time they finally decided on one they both absolutely loved. Ironically it had been one of the first houses they looked at, but the realtor told them they should browse through some more before making a decision. They did, but their minds hadn't changed.

It was an affordable home located near Natsu's work which would eliminate his need for transportation. The one-story house held three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a big back yard and a decent sized kitchen. The living room was spacious enough to entertain guests if they had company over, and the dining room would easily fit a four-seat table.

They already spent an hour looking through the house, falling more in love with the home the longer they stayed. "It seems too perfect," Lucy whispered to Natsu. "What's the catch?"

Natsu chuckled, hand lightly tracing over Lucy's spine. "I'm not sure, but I'm tryin' to find some flaws..." So far he found none.

That was, until the realtor said, "I don't remember if I told this to you last time, but four blocks from here is an elementary school if you two are thinking of having children in the near future."

Natsu saw Lucy visibly tense. He wrapped an arm around her in hopes it would calm her down before the realtor's words set in.

"Also the backyard is big enough for a playset and-"

"Thanks," Natsu cut her off. "We're gonna look at the bedroom again real quick."

He didn't wait for the realtor to reply. Instead he ushered his girlfriend through the house until they arrived at the master bedroom.

Natsu managed to avoid Lucy getting upset, but only barely. She'd gotten better with dealing with her infertility after talking to a counselor about the issue, but it still bothered her. He couldn't blame her. He still hadn't brought up the subject of kids and adoption again since the cook out. He figured when the time was right they'd know. Right now he was just happy to be with Lucy.

"This bedroom is bigger than the one at the apartment, huh?" Natsu looked around the room, already imagining where everything would fit. He knew Lucy would have her equal say in the matter, but for now he just envisioned it by himself.

"Yeah," Lucy's voice was only slightly strained. Her eyes hadn't gotten watery, so that was a good sign. "But what I really like is the bathroom," she moved away from him to look at the bathroom attached to the master bedroom. The dual sinks instantly caught her eye.

"It is pretty cool," Natsu commented when he entered after her. "Are you okay?" He asked, hoping her calm face wasn't a facade.

She glanced at him through the mirror on the wall, a smile adorning her face. "Yeah. Thanks for the save. I'm doing a lot better I think."

"You are," he confirmed. "You're doing really great."

"Thanks," Lucy looked back down at the sinks. "So what do you say? Do you think this is the house?"

"Well," he walked up behind her, casually dropping his hands on either side to grip onto the counter. His chest gently pushed against her back as he rested his head on her shoulder. "We'll probably have to do those inspection things were they check the foundation. I dunno what else people buying a house usually do."

Natsu turned his head to press his lips against her neck. Lucy felt a chill when he began speaking against her skin. "I've obviously never done this before, so I have no idea. Maybe we can ask someone who's already bought a house? What do you think?"

What did Lucy think? It had nothing to do with houses. Her skin felt like it was set on fire from the feeling of his lips moving against her neck, even if he was being innocent. Of course they both knew he wasn't. He knew exactly what he was doing to her.

Lucy jutted her hips back, brushing against his pants to feel the slight stiffness he was concealing. "Really?" Lucy smiled, but didn't pull away from his crotch. "Someone's a little excited."

"I can't help it," Natsu breathed against her skin. "Lookin' at this counter is somehow turning me on. I can't help but picture us here," his right hand moved to grab her hip. "I can't help but think how sexy you'd look bent over it."

A low growl escaped his lips before his tongue came out to swipe at her throat. "Does that make me weird?"

Lucy shuttered, "n-no." She had started imagining it too. When they did finally get a house, where would the first place they have sex be? She already felt heat building between her legs. It only grew hotter when Natsu slipped the tips of his fingers into her jeans.

"You're getting me all hot and bothered," he whispered in her ear. "I can't wait to get you back to the apartment."

Lucy shook from his words. She could already feel her core moistening in anticipation. Before she could reply they heard a knock on the bedroom door, causing Lucy to jump.

"I have to make a call," the realtor said, "I'll be outside when you're done looking at the house."

"Th-thanks," Lucy called out. They heard the sound of high heels clicking along with hardwood floors as the realtor left the area.

Natsu had already pushed the other woman from his mind. His sole focus being Lucy's rapid breathing. He doubted she knew herself how badly she wanted to be touched. "I can't wait to bend you over this counter and fuck you senseless," he growled.

She could feel the rumble in his chest. Lucy met his gaze in the mirror. His green eyes bore into her own, a smirk playing on his lips. It faltered only slightly when Lucy took him by surprise. "Why wait?"

"Huh?" Natsu didn't get an answer because a second later she spun around to kiss him.

Her lips slid over his, craving the unique flavor of his mouth. She didn't wait. Instead she thrust her tongue into his hot mouth. Natsu's eyes closed as a surprised moan slipped into her mouth. Lucy was only dominate so many times so it was such a treat when she took control over the fiery man.

Natsu's heart thrummed as she kissed him with a passion that went unrivaled. His greedy hands gripped her thighs to hoist her up until she rested on the counter. There she wrapped her legs around him to bring him sinfully closer to her heated body.

Their tongues slid against each other, poking and teasing the other as hands began to roam. Natsu avoided her breasts. Lucy said earlier they had gotten a little better, but they still felt sore when pressure was applied. To make up for it he cupped the back of her head to keep her in place. He wanted to taste all she had to offer.

Lucy yearned to feel Natsu's body. Her hands first grabbed at his broad shoulder to pull him closer. She felt a pulsing between her legs, but it would go ignored for now. She was already ready. She just wanted to make sure he was too.

Hands ventured down. One grabbed at his jeans while the other took hold of his zipper. Lucy could feel his jeans hugging his body tighter than usual. A tell-tale sign of the growing arousal in his pants. Her suspicion were confirmed when she slipped a hand into his pants, keeping them over his boxers as she brushed over the concealed hardness.

Natsu groaned, his free hand gripping her thigh to keep him grounded. She teased him, rubbing over his erection at an agonizingly slow pace. He thrust his hips forward to get more friction, but the little minx matched his moves so he got nothing extra.

Lucy swallowed his growls. He could feel her smiling against his lips. She rather enjoyed torturing him with pleasure. Natsu was no masochist, but he couldn't deny the way Lucy made his blood set on fire. " _Gaah_ ," Natsu moaned when she finally squeezed his arousal.

He instinctively bucked against her hand, but this time she allowed it. She could feel the outline of his cock. It was rigid and leaking, a small wet spot adorning the top of his boxers. As much as she wanted to drag this out, she knew they were pressed for time.

Lucy carefully pulled his throbbing cock from his boxers. He was hot against her skin, a vein protruding to pulse with his heartbeat. She gave him a slow pump, drawing a whimper from her boyfriend.

Natsu pulled away from her for a second, only to reattach his lips to her neck. He didn't hold back, biting and scraping his teeth against her throat as she continued to stroke him. A heavy sigh escaped her parted lips when he sucked at her tender skin, her fingers tightening around his cock.

Lucy pulled her hand away from his arousal long enough to bring it to her mouth. She tried to spit in her palm, but the angle was difficult. Her saliva dripped from her palm to trail along her wrist, but she couldn't care less. She brought her wet hand to his cock, giving it a short pump before finally smothering his entire member with her saliva.

Natsu choked out a moan before pressing more open-mouthed kisses to the crook of her neck. "C-can I fuck ya?" He asked, hand rubbing at her thigh to entice her.

"Yes!" She whimpered in a soft voice. She wanted to be louder, but it wouldn't look good to be caught christening a house they hadn't purchased yet.

Carnal desires fueled him as he roughly flipped her over. Natsu made sure to watch her facial expressions in the mirror. He didn't want to scare her or send her into another flashback with his movements. Natsu locked eyes with her again as his hands went to her zipper. His deft fingers unbuttoned and slid down her zipper before tugging at the waist band.

Lucy wiggled her hips to assist him. With their combined effort her pants fell to her knees. "You want this?" He asked, already dragging his hot fingers against her sex. She was already wet, her succulent pink flesh waiting to be entered.

"Yes, Natsu," she sounded a little annoyed. "Hurry."

He resisted the urge to chuckle at her impatience. Instead he grabbed his cock to line it up with her entrance. Natsu knew she wanted him to get started, but he couldn't help but coat the tip of his cock with her juices before slowly sliding in. He felt every inch of her trying to suck him in, but he stayed strong by going easy.

That was, until Lucy rammed herself back on him.

" _Nggh!_ " Natsu groaned, hands coming to grip on her waist. It was almost bruising, but Lucy didn't seem to notice as she did it again, impaling herself on his cock without him moving. " _Damn_ , Luce!"

"I told you to hurry," Lucy wasn't in the mood to be treated like some delicate flower. She wanted a rough quickie, so that's what she got. "Now fuck me senseless like you promised."

The fire in his belly raged as he slammed into her. She moaned, her hands coming to grip on the counter as he did exactly as he was told. He felt her spread wide with every snap of his hips. Her heat surrounded him. It was welcoming, accommodating his length each time.

"H-how'd I get so l-lucky?" Natsu asked, his cock sliding in and out of her dripping pussy. His eyes stayed on hers, making sure she was truly in this moment.

She was, a smirk tugging at her lips even though she desperately needed to part them. Despite the soreness one of Lucy's hands came up to knead her own breast. She knew her body better than anyone, so she made sure to play with the globe of flesh hidden under her shirt with the utmost care.

Natsu bit at her shoulder, tasting the material of her shirt as he rocketed in and out of her soaked core. He always enjoyed watching her play with herself regardless of how she did it. It just turned him on unlike anything he'd ever seen before. It let him know she truly wanted to be pleasured, even if he felt a little jealous that she was touching her and not him.

With that in mind Natsu removed one of his hands from her waist to bury it between her legs. His fingers traced over her engorged clit before rubbing it fervidly. She squealed, eyes slamming shut for a moment as she tried to catch her breath.

"N- _Natsuu!_ " She couldn't hold back her moans, her body betraying her wants to vocalize exactly how amazing he made her feel. " _Aaahhahhh!_ F-fuck me harder!"

Neither heard the realtor approaching, but she quickly turned heel when she heard the whimpers and grunts coming from the master bedroom. With a red face the woman went back outside, deciding it was better to wait until they finished than interrupt them. Two people fucking was not something she wanted to see today. She just hoped they cleaned up after themselves for the next people looking to possibly buy the home.

"How's this?" Natsu growled as he picked up the pace, his cock slamming deep within her. His pants fell down an inch each time he moved until they finally stopped around his knees.

Lucy nodded, no longer able to voice her thoughts. Only moans escaped her as he pounded away at her pussy. His fingers kept assaulting her clit, flicking, rubbing, and occasionally tugging at the bundle of nerves until it finally became her undoing.

Legs tensed, back arched, and a guttural moan tore from her throat as she came, actually squirting her juices on his balls and thighs. Her pussy squeezed at him tightly. He felt himself getting close too, but he wanted to make it last a bit longer even though it was obvious they should just stick to a quickie.

"You feel so good, Lucy!" He couldn't get enough of her tight wet walls. He'd fantasized about what she'd feel like for years, but he wasn't even close to the rapturous feeling being with her truly held. His heart hammered in his chest, warmth radiating from his reddened skin where a blush broke out. He was completely ensnared by her, and he thought it was a shame she hadn't realized it yet.

"I love you," Natsu's fingers playing with her clit moved to swipe up some of her essence. He pulled his hand up to her face, thrusting his fingers into her gaping mouth. Despite the confession he still felt a bit naughty. "I wanna see you taste yourself," he commanded, feeling the tightening in his stomach already fighting his resolve. "Taste how delicious you are."

In her delirious state she did as told. Her tongue lapped up his fingers, then sucked on the digits while he watched the lewd scene take place. She moaned from the flavor, her pussy tightening on his cock again.

"This is what I taste every time I'm between your legs," he gave her a rather sharp thrust, a whimper escaping, but he didn't stop. "I want you to know how good you taste to me."

Lucy moaned against his fingers, causing him to buck faster. Natsu knew he wouldn't last much longer. He ripped his hand away from her mouth to grind against her clit. Mercilessly he rubbed at her sensitive nub until she started quaking again. " _Aaahhh!_ " Lucy whited out for a moment as she was hit with another wave of ecstasy.

Natsu savored the feeling of her trying to milk him, forehead falling on her shoulders as he tried to hold out for just a little longer. "Can you do me a favor?" He moaned into her ear. He was near his end. "Can you ask me to come in your pussy?"

Lucy's face was already flushed, but she still felt her skin get impossibly hot. She opened her mouth only to let out a whimper before she closed it again. Natsu bit at the crook of her shoulder before begging. " _Please!_ "

"Natsu," she was breathless. "Will you come in my p-pussy?"

" _Fuck_ ," he groaned. He managed to fuck into her core two more times before finally spilling his seed deep inside her. His release came in three powerful spurts, each causing his body to twitch in the process. The desire she could pull from him was maddening. No other woman compared to the love and pleasure Lucy brought to his life.

His cock thrust into her once more to make sure she received everything before he pulled out. Natsu stumbled a bit when he tried to pull up his pants, resulting in him having to sit down on the edge of the tub to catch his breath.

Lucy blushed as she sat on the toilet to get rid of the cum in her body. She didn't want to walk around with that for the rest of the day. Luckily the bathroom had a roll of toilet paper, otherwise she'd be screwed.

Again.

All puns aside Lucy and Natsu were feeling pretty great. With no words spoken they stared at each other, mentally agreeing that this house was a nice fit for them. They cleaned up, Natsu dealing with his sticky thighs while Lucy still felt impossibly wet despite wiping a few times.

When they were presentable they left the bathroom to go find the realtor. Neither knew why the lady wouldn't look them in the eye when they found her outside. "Hey!" Natsu called out, causing the woman to flinch.

"O-oh, hello," a bright red blush adorned the realtor's face. Any other realtor wouldn't put up with what they just did, but she was a little on the passive side despite the tough career she chose. "Are you both d-done... _looking_ at the house?"

Lucy raised a brow, but said nothing about the woman's odd behavior. It was nothing like her calm demeanor from earlier. "Yes, and we have some good news."

The realtor finally met Lucy and Natsu's gaze. "And what's that?" She prayed they wouldn't say anything inappropriate.

Natsu wrapped an arm around Lucy's shoulder. They looked at each other, smiling as they nodded before turning to the realtor to say, "we'll take it!"

The woman let out a relieved sigh before nodding. "That's great! If you two would like to come to the office to start the paperwork I'd be more than happy to assist you."

"Sounds like a plan," Lucy said before the two went to get in her new car. It was one she purchased a few days ago. It wasn't brand new, but it was still a late model. As long as it got from point A to point B she was happy with it. The two buckled up, then Lucy started to drive to the realtor's office with Natsu groaning about his sensitive stomach in the passenger seat.

On their way to the office they passed by the elementary school the realtor mentioned. Lucy felt only a slight pain in her heart, but it went away when she grasped one of Natsu's hands. He was oblivious to her troubles since his current objective was to keep from puking in her car. He felt like she should have it for at least a week before accidentally ruining it.

When they got to the office they got right to it. The realtor asked them which bank they were wanting to go through, which Lucy then informed her they were paying in full. The realtor startled for only a second before regaining her composure. They got to work. The realtor informed them they'd need to do some inspections of the property before buying.

This was also the time to get any additional inspections they would like done before actually buying. It would take some time to get everything done. They would also need to get the house appraised.

The final step would be closing. Since they were buying it in full they could set their own closing date with the seller. Natsu and Lucy decided to wait until the inspections came back before setting a date.

With some papers filled out and the shake of two hands the realtor insured them she would be on top of this process until it was completed. The couple left feeling secure in their decision, but the anxiety of waiting until everything was done would eat them alive.

For the next few weeks Natsu and Lucy constantly checked their phones to see if there was any update. Each completed and passed inspection helped lessen their nervousness, but then it only made them more giddy to finish so they could actually have a home.

During those weeks Lucy began to act a little strange. One minute she'd be acting normal, the next she was in tears over relatively normal things. "I just wanted to watch my show. I didn't know it didn't play on Wednesdays," she'd say with tears in her eyes.

Natsu rolled with it, comforting Lucy as well as he could until she was back to normal again. The most noticeable change had to be her wardrobe. As the days passed she opted to wear more and more of his clothes. "My clothes just don't fit right," she complained, blaming his washer and dryer for shrinking her clothes yet again.

He would just chuckle, rub her back, and tell her everything would be fine. They both blamed her weird behavior on buying the house. It was stressing her out, making her act odd. Natsu just hoping it would end when they found out whether or not they would get the house.

Things with the women's shelter were progressing as well. To make things easier, Lucy gave the amount to buy the new building in the form of a donation to the organization. Of course she had her lawyer come in to help with the process. Despite it being for a good cause Lucy knew some people were shady. Her lawyer saw that every dime she donated went to good use.

Natsu was impressed with Lucy's recovery during their waiting period. Whenever she felt sad or the need to cut - _which rarely happened_ \- she went straight to him with it. Honesty was important now more than ever. He made sure to not let her feel ashamed of herself. That wasn't the way to encourage someone to recover. It would only make her hide her issues, which he didn't want.

Every day got a little better, hope no longer sparking, but _living_ in their hearts. They were both getting better one step at a time. The counseling and AA meetings certainly helped. Lucy hadn't cut herself since before the trial ended and Natsu hadn't taken a drink since he first quit.

Finally, after Natsu and Lucy finished having dinner at a nice restaurant to celebrate his three month sobriety, they got the call they'd been waiting on. Everything with the house was finished, inspected, appraised, and ready. All they needed to do was sign the paperwork.

The following Monday they showed up at the office before it opened. Natsu called off work, thankfully having an understanding boss. Once the doors opened they rushed in to sign. Lucy had the cashier's check with the agreed upon price and the owners had the keys to give to the happy couple.

After a few - _more like fifty_ \- signatures later they were ready to move in. It would take some time to process everything and get the official deed to the house, but they were still the new owners of the home. They couldn't wait to move in.

They spent the next few days arranging their move from the apartment. The lease wasn't up for a few more weeks, so instead of trying to find a new tenant they would just pay the rent owed until the lease expired.

They signed for the house on November 21st, and by November 23rd they had most of their stuff in their new home. It couldn't come at a better time seeing as the next day was Thanksgiving. They invited all their friends and family over to celebrate.

Jude said he would fly in with Virgo - _who was working for him again since he could now afford her salary_. Levy and Gajeel said they'd come, Levy would even bring some sides. Gray and Juvia agreed to come as long as they could bring their children along, which Lucy said she had no problems with. It was time she finally met the kids of her friends. She knew she shouldn't let her own misfortune stop her from getting to know their children.

Juvia said she would bake a pie, but thankfully Gray said they'd just bring a store bought dessert. Four years later and the poor girl still couldn't bake to save her life. Erza and Jellal said they wouldn't miss the celebration for the world. Erza would bring more sides and a strawberry cheesecake - _the girl couldn't go too long without cake_.

Natsu's brother Zeref, and his wife Mavis said they would make the drive to see them on Thanksgiving. He hadn't seen his brother in a while, so it would be a treat to catch up. Natsu's parents also agreed to come. Natsu's mom would make two turkeys while Lucy made the ham.

It all seemed to be working out great. Thanksgiving was tomorrow, Lucy and Natsu were almost done moving boxes into the house, Happy was working on getting adjusted to his new environment, and Natsu had something round and shiny in a velvet box hiding in his dresser.

Everything seemed great, but nobody was prepared for the unexpected news they would receive the night of Thanksgiving.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the kudos, hits, and comments! Thank you Miraculous_kid for commenting!! 
> 
> Up next, Chapter Nineteen: A toast you won't forget- Part One
> 
> Sorry if you thought this chapter was short. I'm setting up for the last few chapters. If everything goes right there will be 22 chapters and an epilogue. (I've never written an epilogue before, so this will be interesting.)
> 
> So, lots of information to absorb this chapter. To summarize: Lucy is helping Magnolia's women's shelter buy a new, bigger building. She's also doing very well with her recovery, alongside Natsu who hasn't had anything to drink since the day he quit. Lucy and Natsu bought a house together. The process was stressful, making Lucy go through some mood swings. (If you believe that...) And that darn washer and dryer keeps shrinking her clothes. Gosh darn... :)
> 
> They're basically moved in and tomorrow (for them) is Thanksgiving. With all their friends and family around it seems like the perfect time to... eat some turkey. I won't say anything more about the object Natsu's hiding from Lucy. ;) (For my Yuri On Ice fans, maybe it's just a gold metal?)
> 
> Let me know what you thought of this chapter? Thanks for reading! I really appreciate all the support!


	19. A toast you won't forget- Part One

**This chapter is all smut. The second half has anal in it, so if you don't want to read that you can read up until you see "xXx".**

* * *

**Chapter Nineteen: A toast you won't forget- Part One**

Lucy put the ham in the oven, setting the timer for an hour and a half. She then checked the temperature once more before heading to the bedroom. Natsu was already setting up, a bottle of lube and a thick towel at the edge of the bed. He glanced up when she entered, then gave her a nervous smile.

"H-hey," he swallowed, his face feeling abnormally hot due to the blush coating his cheeks. "I-I think I got everything ready..."

Lucy's eyes flitted to the items on the bed, then back up to her boyfriend. "You're forgetting one thing." She didn't mind his raised brow as she walked over to the nightstand. "I picked these up yesterday. I figured they would help with clean up."

Lucy turned around to face Natsu, a single condom in her hand. "Oh, yeah I guess that would help." He nodded, wondering if he was shaking as badly as he thought he was.

"Are you nervous?" She asked, seeing the slight tremors in his arms.

"A little," he admitted. "I've never done this before."

"Me either," Lucy said, though they both already knew this information. "I'm sure it'll be fine. You read the same pages I did. If we go slow and be careful it should all work out."

Lucy was referring to a few online sites on how to prepare and have anal sex. Neither had tried it before, so this would be a first for them. Lucy already prepared herself a little bit. She never heard of an anal douche before, and definitely never thought she'd use one in her life.

Luckily for them the discrete sex shop in Magnolia was opened yesterday, letting them get everything they thought they might need for this event. The lube was a thick consistency that was guaranteed to stay slick for the entire duration. The last thing they would need was for the lube to dry out halfway through.

Lucy prepared a little that morning too. She shaved the area in question - _without any thoughts of cutting herself_ , then took a long, relaxing bath. It helped loosen her muscles and prepare her for the long day ahead of them.

"Do you really want our first Thanksgiving together to be associated with anal sex?" Natsu asked suddenly.

Lucy raised a brow before her face softened. She lightly shrugged, saying, "it could be worse."

"Y-yeah... How much time do we have?" Natsu sat on the bed, bottom lip caught between his teeth.

Lucy couldn't help but think he looked cute. She'd never seen the fiery man so nervous before. "An hour before the guests are supposed to arrive. An hour and a half before the ham is done."

"Okay," Natsu nodded. "Plenty of t-time."

"Here," Lucy sat next to him on the bed, wrapping her arms around his shoulders to lace her fingers behind his neck. "How about we start with something else to make you more comfortable?"

"What'd you have in mind?" Natsu asked, liking the idea of playing with her beforehand. He was a nervous wreck. This was the only real 'first' they were going to share together when it came to sexual acts. He didn't want to mess things up.

"This," Lucy said before leaning in to place a kiss on his lips.

Natsu responded immediately, applying his own pressure as his head tilted so their noses wouldn't bump. Lucy's fingers loosened, only to curl against his neck. Natsu's hands came up to gently rest on her full thighs just as he parted his lips. His hot tongue came out to swipe against her bottom lip.

Lucy opened her mouth to invite him in, instantly getting swept away when he took control of the kiss. In no time Lucy found herself being guided downwards until she laid on the bed. Her eyes fluttered shut, letting Natsu take control of her body, trusting him with everything. Natsu crawled between her legs to settle against her body. He made sure not to apply too much pressure to her torso. He didn't want to hurt her after all.

Lucy's tongue slid against his as she made her way into his mouth. It was hot, moist, and tasted suspiciously like the ham she told him he wasn't supposed to nibble at yet. She decided to ignore the brown sugar flavor and focus on her fingers tracing over his strong shoulders.

Lucy was always fond of Natsu's body. Who wouldn't be? For as long as she could remember he was built like a warrior. She especially loved the firm and toned muscles. They were much more appealing than bulky muscles.

A hum escaped her mouth when she felt something hard against her thigh. Natsu was already aroused, his nervousness fading the longer they kissed. He bit at her bottom lip, only to roll the pink flesh between his teeth before tugging until it was released. Lucy couldn't get enough of it. Her hips instinctively bucked against his body, but it wasn't enough to relieve the dull ache that had worked its way into her core.

" _Mmm_ , N-Natsu," she moaned into his mouth.

Natsu opened an eye to see the pleading look she gave him. He smirked, realizing she already wanted more. His lips moved away from hers, a thin trail of saliva connecting between them until it snapped when he jerked his head to her neck.

Lucy hummed when that hot mouth bit at her throat. "Don't leave a mark," she warned. Any other time she wouldn't mind so much, but their friends and family were coming by later today. She wanted to at least look decent and not like a woman who just got fucked.

Natsu restrained himself as he nipped at her flesh. It left small pink marks, but they would fade soon. His hot tongue came out to drag against her neck up until he reached her ear. There he gently sucked on her earlobe, drawing a whimper from his girlfriend. "You like that?" He asked before sucking again. Her reactions showed she clearly enjoyed his ministrations, but he preferred verbal confirmation.

"Y-yes," Lucy could hear herself losing control. Her voice sounded shallow and breathy, a tell-tale sign she was aroused. If that wasn't enough, feeling Natsu's hand venture until he cupped her clothed core was! She mewled when he roughly palmed at her crotch, the heat building between her legs at his touches. "Don't tease me," she begged, desperately wanting more pleasure.

Natsu chuckled in her ear before saying, "as you wish." He started moving downwards, lips kissing at her neck until he got to her shirt. With a groan he lifted himself off her to get rid of the offending garment.

Lucy blinked in surprise when Natsu lifted her up. With careful but quick movements he removed her shirt and bra, leaving her clad in only her jeans. Natsu frowned for only a second when he saw the slight pudge sticking out from her jeans. It wasn't that he was upset she'd gained some weight - _he actually enjoyed seeing Lucy a little fuller_. He was just concerned she was still trying to fit into her clothes she bought three months ago. They looked uncomfortable on her body.

Natsu pushed that thought aside to undo her jeans. Lucy helped him get them off, then watched as he leaned forward, teeth clenching around the waistband of her thong before pulling it downwards. The smaller article of clothing rolled up on itself the further he dragged it towards her ankles. By the time he slipped them off they were just a wad of material, easily tossed across the room since she wouldn't be needing them anytime soon.

Natsu went back up to her neck where he last kissed her. "You're so fucking sexy," he growled before seizing her collarbone in his teeth. He bit at her flesh, getting it a little pink before venturing down. Lucy let out a gasp when he licked over her nipple. A fire roared in her belly when he lapped up the perky bud again, then twitched when he proceeded to suck on her nipple.

" _Ooooh_ , _yeeess_ ," Lucy closed her eyes, humming in appreciation. "K-keep going!" Some days her nipples were too sore to touch, but others they were extremely sensitive in a good way. Today was one of those days.

Lucy arched her back to get closer to that scorching tongue. Natsu groaned when her large breasts were pressed against his face, but he made no effort to stop playing with her nipple. He licked over it slowly, watching her squirm from his touches before sucking the nipple into his mouth. There he moved the tip of his tongue against the pink skin mercilessly until she was begging for more. " _Aaaaahh_ , _nnnggh!_ " He licked, flicked, circled, even tugged on her pink bud before switching to the other. Everything he did made Lucy moan louder, her body jerking with pleasure.

The real kicker was when she grasped his pink locks in her hands. She wanted to make sure he didn't leave before she was ready. Natsu forgot all about why he was nervous as he sucked on her breast. One of his hands moved to touch her delicate sex once again, this time uncovered. She was slick, ready for a good pounding, but he wouldn't give her that yet. He still had a lot more he wanted to do.

Fingers traced over her lower lips, fingertips getting wet before dragging over her clit. He felt her jump from the sensations before a mewl escaped her parted lips. His lips stayed over her breast, lightly biting at the nipple while he plunged a single finger past her folds and into her heat. She was soaked inside, her inner walls trying to squeeze over his finger.

Natsu moved over to her side so he wouldn't put any pressure on her body. Lucy didn't seem to notice, her head thrown back and her eyes shut tightly. He pulled his dripping finger out so he could massage her clit. The nub slowly grew harder the longer he played with it. "Na-Naa-" Lucy couldn't finish, her body convulsing as he brought her to climax.

Lucy gripped his hair tighter, her back arching and her hips bucking as she felt tremors course through her heated body. Natsu didn't stop for a second. He continued to suck on her swollen nipple while his fingers rubbed fervidly over her engorged bundle of nerves. Lucy never stood a chance.

Just as one orgasm ended, another began. The way Lucy screamed in pleasure made it sound like she was in pain. Her thighs tightened around his hand, her body shaking as she tried to catch her breath. "Na-Natsuuu," she whined, hips bucking to let him know what she wanted.

Natsu felt her loosen the grip on his hair. He slowly lowered down her body, pressing kisses against her heated skin every few inches. He licked over her belly, kissed her belly button, then dragged his lips against her blonde curls.

A second later Natsu's mouth covered her core, his tongue coming out to thrust into her juices. She was sopping wet, moaning as he fucked her with his tongue. Lucy felt that scorching wet muscle move around the entrance of her core before he pulled out. He didn't wait before spreading her pussy lips apart with two fingers, exposing the glistening pink skin beneath before flickering over her clit.

Just as Natsu was thinking he couldn't smell anything better than Lucy's arousal, he was proven wrong. Drifting into their bedroom came the smell of the Thanksgiving ham. He felt a little silly when his cock throbbed with need, his mouth watering more from the delicious combinations of scents. He buried his nose into her core, getting his nose nice and soaked so she was all he could smell.

"Th-there!" Lucy whimpered when he sucked on her clit, pulling it between his pressed lips to give her a thrilling sensation. He did it again, earning a better reaction the second time. " _Aaahhhh!_ Feels... _soo_ good!"

Natsu decided to slow things down. His tongue moved languidly over her wet folds until he brushed over her bundle of nerves. She squirmed, trying to get him to go faster or apply more friction. Natsu stayed patient, lapping up her juices to savor her unique taste.

Before Lucy could say anything he began kissing her pussy, mouth moving against her lower lips to ease the fire burning between her legs. Natsu smirked. He could feel her breathing slow down, her hands twisting into his pink hair. He had her right where he wanted her. Once she got used to the slow, deliberate movements, he sped up. His tongue aggressively sucking her clit while two fingers entered her eager pussy.

Lucy could only gasp for air as he urged her body into another climax, all her senses heightening before she was thrust into a blissful state. Natsu slowly pulled away from her body, letting her ride it out before moving off the bed to get ready.

Lucy was barely aware of his actions until she felt the tip of his cock press against her sopping pussy. _'When did he get naked?'_ She wondered before feeling him pump into her body.

"W-wait!" Lucy shouted just as Natsu started to push back into her body. His movements came to an abrupt halt when he heard her command.

"What's wrong?" Natsu asked, doing his best to keep perfectly still. He felt her pussy pulsing around his leaking cock. He desperately wanted to fuck her, but he wouldn't do it without her permission.

"I thought we were going to try..." Lucy trailed off, her face lighting up with a new blush. She looked to the edge of the bed where the towel and lube sat.

Natsu followed her line of vision until he saw the items. He nodded, realizing he'd messed up. "Sorry. Got a little excited." He started pulling out slowly, earning a moan from his girlfriend.

"Well," Lucy's hands came out to grab his hips. "Maybe you can do this..." She couldn't meet his gaze due to her embarrassment. "Just for a little bit?"

Natsu couldn't be happier. "Sounds awesome," he said while plunging back into her sweet body.

" _Nnnggh_ , _aahh!_ " Lucy moaned while Natsu continued his thrusts. Her pussy was hot and wet, the perfect combination for fucking.

"I wanna try somethin'," Natsu said as he grabbed one of Lucy's legs to hoist it over his shoulder. Immediately the angle of penetration changed so he could go deeper. "Fuck! That's good!" He rubbed over her clit with messy movements, trying to draw her closer to the edge.

One eye closed while the other stayed trained on Lucy's expression. He wasn't going to risk letting her slip into some dark flashback. It would only ruin the moment and upset her. He watched for any indication she wasn't enjoying herself, but so far he saw none. It definitely helped that she kept moaning his name.

" _Naatsuu!_ _Aaahh_ , yes! J-just like th-that! _Naaa_ -" Lucy started shaking. He felt her clenching around his member when she met her end.

Despite only starting he felt himself getting close as well. Not wanting to end it too soon, he pulled out, letting some of her juices leak from her swollen pussy lips to collect on the sheets. Natsu got lost in the sight for a moment before he found himself leaning down towards the mess.

Her leg fell from his shoulders as he got closer. His tongue came out to lick at her spilled juices. Lucy's skin tingled where his hot tongue touched. She wanted to reach to hold onto some part of him, but she already felt weak in her limbs.

He lapped up her wetness for a few more seconds before feeling her jerk away from the sensations. Natsu lifted himself up until he was on his knees between her spread legs. "I'm glad I'm the only one who's tasted your sweet pussy," he said while wiping some drops of her juices from his mouth with the back of his hand.

* * *

  **xXx**

* * *

Lucy gave him a weak smile, her eyes hooded with lust gleaming in those brown orbs. "Are you ready?" She asked, grabbing a pillow to place under her lower back to prop herself up.

Natsu gulped, looking down at her spent core. He gently spread her ass cheeks apart, revealing the small puckered hole he was supposed to enter. The nervousness from earlier came right back, as if nothing had happened in between. He gulped, fingers slightly shaky as he nodded. "Y-yeah."

Lucy merely shook her head. "You know this is going to hurt me a lot more than it's going to hurt you, right?"

Natsu frowned, his hands stilling in an instant. "I'm going to make sure it doesn't hurt," he vowed, but he wasn't sure he could keep this one. He'd never done this before, so he didn't know what to expect besides what he read online, and that was only somewhat helpful. Doing it in real life seemed a lot scarier.

"Okay..." Natsu turned to grab the bottle of lube and towel. "Lift up a bit?" When she did he placed the towel over the pillow to act as a barrier for the sheets. Worst case scenario they would have to wash the sheets, but at least this way there was a chance it wouldn't be so bad.

As he applied a little lube to the tip of his finger he realized she already got her pussy juices on the sheets. He decided not to worry about it. They had a spare set of sheets in the closet anyway.

Before Natsu capped the lube, Lucy spoke up. "Can you add more?" She looked at the amount on his finger. "The site said to use a lot."

"Oh, yeah," he blinked, then poured some more over his pointer finger. Luckily he already trimmed his nails down so they wouldn't catch on her inner walls. He didn't want to accidentally tear her skin after all. "Do you want me to put some here?"

Natsu gently circled her anus with his finger, leaving behind a wet trail of lube. She was already a little wet down there from when her pussy juices slid down her body, but it was drying up already.

Lucy nodded, then watched as he added more and coated her asshole with the thick liquid. He could feel his heart hammering out of control, but by the looks of it Lucy was just as nervous. Her eyes kept flitting from his eyes to his hand, trying to decide where to look.

"We don't have to do this," he reminded her. This was Lucy's idea. She was the one to bring it up again since the road trip. She even drove them to the sex shop to get the items needed to make this experience more comfortable. "I promise I won't mind."

"I want to," Lucy said firmly. "I'm just a little nervous too, I guess..." She felt confident when they started, but now that her ass was wet and his finger was pressed against her tight entrance she was feeling a little weird in her stomach. "I do want this though."

"Okay." That was all Natsu needed. "If you change you're mind-"

"I'll let you know," she finished. "Okay. I'm ready."

Lucy took a deep breath, then felt her lower half relax. Pushing aside her fear - _and the smell of ham that slowly got stronger the longer they played_ , she nodded to him. He settled between her legs by sitting criss-cross, his shining cock standing proudly against his body.

With a silent gulp, Natsu pressed. The pad of his finger pushed through her ring of muscles rather easily since she was keeping herself relaxed, but as soon as he entered an inch she clenched up. Instead of moving, Natsu stayed perfectly still. He wanted her to feel good, so he waited until she loosened up again before going further.

Lucy's heart raced as he slowly worked his finger until he was completely in. He didn't move, allowing her time to adjust to this much. He could imagine it'd feel weird having a finger up the ass. He'd never thought about it before, but he didn't think he'd be opposed to the idea of her playing with him in this manner. However, that was a thought for another day. Right now he needed to stay focused on Lucy's breathing, her reactions, and the feeling of her pulse that throbbed around his finger.

"How are you feeling?" He asked, his free hand settling on her thigh. He was pleased to see no fresh cuts. Not even a scab adorned her flesh. There were still many scars, but there wasn't much they could do about that. She was rubbing a cream on them every day. It was supposed to make scars fade. She'd only been at it for a month, but he didn't see much improvement. Of course it would take a while. The scars had been a work in progress for many years.

He just hoped she didn't feel bad about herself. Natsu knew Lucy was strong, but even the strongest people can feel pain in their hearts.

"Feels weird," Lucy said honestly. "But it doesn't hurt."

"Well that's good," he smiled at her. Her ass felt different from her pussy. It wasn't as spongy, and the temperature was a lot hotter than her core. The main difference he noticed was the tightness. He had no idea how he was supposed to fit his cock inside her ass at this rate. "Do you want me to move it now?"

"Yeah." She smiled along with him. "Go slow?"

"Of course," Natsu eased his finger out of her body until only the tip remained. It was wet with lube, making her inner walls slick for penetration.

Natsu pushed back into her ass, feeling her slightly tense before relaxing again. This process lasted about a minute before he started angling his finger to loosen her up around instead of just back and forth. Lucy noticed immediately, reminding herself to breathe deeply and accept the intrusion.

"I think I'm ready for another finger," Lucy said just as she felt a bead of sweat roll down her forehead. Despite the cold air outside their house was very warm. The heater was on, along with the oven in the other room. She realized they should have turned it off before getting started, but it would be odd to stop now.

Natsu nodded, removing his finger. It was weird pulling completely out. He expected to see something gross at the end of his finger, but the only thing he saw was the lube. He guessed her preparations really did make a difference.

He remembered the site saying to apply lube to each digit inserted, so Natsu coated two fingers with the thick substance. He took his own deep breath before placing his fingers by her anus. Natsu whispered, "ready?"

"Yeah," Lucy shifted against the soft sheets to get more comfortable. She felt one tip push past her ring of muscles before the second one joined it. Immediately there was some discomfort from the spreading, but it wasn't enough to cause alarm. Lucy breathed, hands lightly rubbing at the sheets to keep herself relaxed.

Natsu's gaze stayed on her face, judging her reactions to his ministrations. He was halfway in before he finally looked down, his cock twitching at the sight. Lucy's clean ass was being penetrated by his wet fingers. She looked so naughty, but he wouldn't tell her that. It wasn't exactly a rule he couldn't say things like that, but he didn't want to risk triggering her. Now was definitely not the time.

"Tell me if you want me to stop," Natsu reminded, his eyes fixed on his fingers entering her.

"I will," Lucy said, her voice growing breathless. "Keep going."

Natsu pushed again, going in slowly until his knuckles touched her ass. He could feel just how tight she was now that he had two fingers inside. The heat only increased the longer he was in. He didn't know if it was from his body temperature being added, or maybe it was from the slight friction she received from him entering her. Either way he liked how it felt. His cock throbbed, a desperate need coming from it to be inside her narrow passage.

When Lucy was okay being dilated that much, she told him to move. With steady fingers he began to fuck her ass, making sure to watch for any signs of distress. When he felt like she had enough in and out he moved on to scissoring her passage. She whimpered a few times, but every time Natsu stopped, she told him to continue.

Lucy wasn't the only one sweating. Natsu soon began to feel beads drip down his neck and shoulders. He stretched her anus as gently as he could. He started pushing outwards against her anal ring to loosen her up there as well.

Her hand came down to slowly massage her clit. She found it took her mind off the slight discomfort she felt with him prepping her ass. After a few minutes she told him to try three fingers. That was by far the weirdest feeling Lucy had felt thus far. Even with all three fingers soaked in lube she still felt her body resisting.

Natsu clenched his teeth when he got three fingertips inside her. He really didn't want to push her too far, but she hadn't told him 'no' yet. Still, he could tell she couldn't be enjoying this. "How ya doing?" He asked in a whisper, barely pushing into her body.

"G-good," she panted, not realizing how heavily she was breathing until she tried to talk. "Kinda hurts, but I can keep going." It took everything in her power to keep her lower half relaxed. Every instinct was screaming to squeeze around those invading fingers, but she didn't listen.

"Okay," Natsu felt wary, but moved further into her ass. His free hand kept massaging her thigh. His efforts combined with her rubbing her clit seemed to be the only thing keeping her going in that moment.

When he was halfway through she finally clenched around his fingers, a gasp coming from her parted lips as she felt that weird sensation. "Sorry," Natsu mumbled, trying to stay perfectly still. He felt like if he jerked out now he would only hurt her.

"It's fine." Lucy took a deep breath. "This is just really... _different_."

"Yeah," Natsu nodded. "Do you want me to stop?"

"No," she wasn't ready to throw in the towel yet. "I think I want you to try to really... umm, have sex with me... there..."

"Are you sure?" Natsu asked incredulously. "I haven't even gotten them in all the way."

"I know," Lucy could feel how deep he was in. "I just think I'm ready for the real thing. Just make sure you use lots of lube."

"Definitely," Natsu slowly pulled his fingers out of her hole when he felt her relax again. She let out what sounded like a cross between a gasp and a whimper, but other than that she stayed quiet.

Natsu got to work after that. He put a little lube on his hand, then rubbed it over his length. It felt great getting some attention after ignoring his cock for a while, but he couldn't dwell on touching himself for long. Next he got the condom and tore open the package. It felt weird slipping the condom over his shaft. He hadn't worn one in over three months. He had no idea what he was even supposed to do with the other ones she bought.

Once the condom was secure, Natsu coated it with a lot of lubricant. He remembered reading lube was extremely important when it came to penetrating the ass. It wasn't possible to use too much.

"How do you want it?" He asked when he felt prepared. Lucy looked down at his cock, then back up to his emerald eyes. "The site said missionary was best for beginners, so I think that way."

Natsu grinned. "Perfect," with a rise in confidence, he said, "now I can see your face when I fuck your ass."

Lucy's face flushed crimson, but she wasn't the only one affected by his words. Despite his calm demeanor, Natsu's face and chest lit up in a blush. He didn't mean to sound so _dirty_ , but it felt right telling her what was on his mind.

With no other words he touched the tip of his cock to her puckered hole. He used both hands to spread her ass cheeks apart to get a clear view of her hole. Natsu pressed, only to slip. He didn't realize how much concentration this act was going to require. He had to use one hand to hold onto the base of his member as he guided himself back to her anus. Aiming at her hole, he pushed in.

Lucy hissed when the head of his cock entered her ass. It felt almost like a burn. When he stopped moving the pain slowly subsided. She did everything in her power not to clench or tighten up around him. Despite her efforts Natsu felt how incredibly tight she really was. He couldn't imagine fucking her like this. He'd surely come undone in no time.

Natsu waited a full thirty seconds before pushing in again. He felt Lucy's body trying to accommodate his thick cock. The lube helped him ease in, but he could tell she felt some discomfort from him spreading her wide. His hand moved back to her cheek, spreading them apart to make penetration easier.

"Luce?" He started, working in another inch into her hot hole, "you good?"

"Y-yeah," she wanted to nod, but her neck felt stiff. She couldn't move any part of her body in fear it would cause her pain in her ass. She didn't even rub at her clit for this part. "Didn't think it would feel like this." Lucy did her best to not clench her teeth or her body. She had to remain relaxed to avoid pain.

Natsu looked down at where their bodies joined. He was about halfway into her narrow passage. He saw her ring of muscles stretched around his length. His breath caught. She looked so fucking amazing. He gave it another push before retreating.

Lucy gasped when she felt him pulling out. He stopped once his tip was the only thing in, then eased himself back in. "Is that okay?" He asked, voice straining with desire. She felt impossibly tight and hot around his cock. For a second it felt like her body was actually trying to suck him in.

Lucy massaged her bundle of nerves again. It did well to curb the slight pain. Now all she felt was pleasure from her touches and slight discomfort from her ass. "I'm good," she gave him a weak smile. "I promise I'll let you know if I'm not."

"Please," he would beg if it was needed. He wanted to know her limits so he wouldn't accidentally push past them. "I'm gonna try to go in deeper, okay?"

Her reply came in a whimper when she purposely pinched around her clit. Natsu thrust in a little harder than before, enough to gain another inch or so. At this rate it was going to take minutes just to get to the base of his cock, but he would be patient if it meant not hurting Lucy.

This little routine of thrusting in a little at a time kept up until he finally worked himself all the way in. His balls slapped lightly against her cheeks, signalling him he was fully submerged. Natsu slowly released her cheeks, then moved to hover over her with his hands on either side of her body.

"Tell me when to move," he instructed, keeping his cock in place to let her adjust. His pink hair matted against his forehead, a bead of sweat falling to land on her left breast. He hadn't realized he was so overheated until now, but he honestly didn't mind. As long as he was inside Lucy he could put up with anything. She felt so hot and tight around him. Just resting inside her felt amazing.

"Hey Natsu," Lucy pulled her hand away from her clit to place it on his cheek. She felt the sweat beneath her fingers as she caressed his face. "We finally had a first together."

A large grin tore at his face. "You're right." He leaned into her touch, finding comfort in the simple action. "I really really love you," he closed his eyes as a purr built up in his chest.

"And I really really love you too," Lucy decided not to play the 'I love you more, I win' game. Right now the moment felt too sweet to taint it with childish games. Although, Natsu's childish antics was just one of the many things she fell in love with him for.

Lucy purposed clenched her anal muscles around his member, finding his cock hot, thick, and very wet. Natsu groaned at the action, his brow furrowing in the process. She squeezed on his cock two more times before deciding. "I'm ready. Just go slow."

"Y-yup," Natsu forced out. There was no way he was going to tell her he already felt close. He couldn't help it. Her ass felt fantastic wrapped around his cock.

Natsu shifted his hips back, slowly pulling out of her body before plunging back inside. " _God damn!_ " His fingers grasped at the sheets. "Fuck you feel so tight." His head dropped, pink hair falling over his shut eyes.

Lucy moaned when he thrust into her again. The pain was fading, replaced by a strange pleasurable sensation now that she was stretched out down there. Her hands fell over her breasts, kneading the globes of flesh to keep her relaxed. Natsu might be having the time of his life driving in and out of her ass, but Lucy wasn't feeling the same sensations she normally did with vaginal sex. Her ass had less pleasurable nerves than her core did, but it still felt oddly good being stretched like this.

As long as she wasn't in pain and Natsu was enjoying himself she didn't see a problem with letting him fuck her ass. Prepping definitely helped. She couldn't imagine how this would feel if he just went right in without fingering her first.

"F-faster!" She started writhing beneath him. " _Aaahhh_ ," Lucy twitched when Natsu pounded a little faster into her body. Her ass didn't resist him anymore, accepting every inch he had to offer. It actually started feeling a little good after a while, especially when her fingers tugged at her nipples in an effort to increase her pleasure. She felt his thrusts stutter for a second, so she said, "k-keep going!"

"Okay," Natsu breathed, his eyes still shut as he fucked into her narrow passage. His brain still couldn't comprehend how tight and hot she was. He never thought he'd feel something so tantalizing after feeling her amazing pussy. " _Gaah_ ," he dug his nails into the sheets. He was already so close. He thought the condom would help him last longer, but it wasn't enough.

"L-Luce," Natsu definitely felt her body sucking him in now. "I-I don't know if-if I- _Damn!_ " He felt her squeezing around him. He didn't know if she was doing it on purpose or not, but it felt fantastic. "I might c-come soon." He felt embarrassed admitting it, but he figured he'd rather give her a warning.

"That's okay," Lucy moaned when he buried himself completely inside her, only to pull out almost all the way, then repeat his movement again. "Too bad you can't, _nggh_ , come in my a-ass."

Natsu growled, forehead falling to land on her shoulder. " _Fuck_ ," he thrust in a little harder, feeling her inner walls tighten around him. "I-I don't think I can last if you talk like that." Lucy rarely spoke like that, but when she did it ignited the fire in his belly.

Natsu didn't ask before biting roughly at her shoulder, his hips snapping against her body to pump into her ass a few more times before releasing his load into the condom. " _Ggaaahh_ ," he groaned, her flesh caught between his teeth in a bruising grip.

Lucy shuttered, eyes staying open to focus on the pink hair in her face so she didn't forget where she was. She was at home, their home, the home she shared with Natsu. After taking a few deep breaths, she calmed herself. Of course she was still in pain. It was hard not to be with her boyfriend biting at her skin while his cock was spreading her wide.

Thankfully Natsu let up after a few more seconds. First to get some relief was her shoulder. He muttered an apology, hair still covering his lustful eyes. He slowly worked himself off her, making sure to keep his cock firmly in her so he didn't hurt her. Natsu carefully extracted his softening cock from her ass when he was steady.

The clean up was a lot easier since his cum was currently resting at the tip of the condom. Natsu shuffled to his feet, his head a little light as he stumbled over to the bathroom to dispose of the condom. When he was finished he went back to help Lucy stand up. Her legs were shaky as she walked to the bathroom. After what they went through she would be walking funny for the rest of the day.

Natsu gave her privacy to let her 'deal' with the aftermath of anal sex. He decided to walk to the second bathroom, dick swaying as he went down the hall. He had to resist the urge to drift towards the kitchen, that heavenly aroma of ham lingering in the air and calling his name.

Natsu managed to make it to the bathroom without any detours. There he washed his privates with the sink, laughing to himself at the silly scene he made in the mirror. When he deemed himself suitable, he went back to the master bedroom to see the door to the bathroom was open.

He smiled, already wanting to see Lucy again despite already spending the entire morning with her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the kudos, hits, and comments! Shout out to Miraculous_kid for commenting!
> 
> Up next, Chapter Twenty: A toast you won't forget- Part Two
> 
> If you have time will you let me know what you thought of the smut? Even if you didn't read the second half? I hope I was able to write a realistic first time experience, so thanks in advance if you review.


	20. A toast you won't forget- Part Two

**Chapter Twenty: A toast you won't forget- Part Two**

The shower was turned on, Lucy already standing in the tub to wash herself off. Natsu didn't bother asking. He just hopped right in and grabbed his body wash. Lucy didn't mind the intrusion. In fact she greeted him with a kiss on the cheek before shifting out of the way. The couple rotated, one getting wet while the other got soapy until they were both clean.

Natsu was in the middle of rinsing off his soap when they heard the doorbell ring. "What the hell?" He muttered, eyes staring at the shower curtain as if it might provide him with some answers. "What time is it?"

"I have no idea," Lucy said. "I didn't think we took that long..."

"Maybe someone showed up early?" Natsu asked as he washed off the rest of the soap. He jumped out of the shower to grab a towel. "Take your time finishing up. I'll go see who it is."

"Okay," Lucy smiled, glad she would get some more time with the hot water. She wanted to relax her muscles after what they did. Seeing guests was something she wasn't ready for yet.

Natsu dried off in a rush, some parts of his skin still damp but suitable for now. He threw on his clothes, making sure they weren't wrinkled before heading to the front door. Natsu made sure to close both the bathroom and the master bedroom door just in case. He didn't want anyone besides himself getting a peek at Lucy.

Natsu opened the door to greet their guests. It was his mother, father, brother, and sister-in-law. "Hey guys!" He grinned as he stepped back to allow them in. "Need any help with that?" He looked down to see two aluminum pans, one in Igneel's hands and the other in Zeref's.

"We got it," Igneel smiled as he walked past his son. "We're gonna put these in the kitchen."

"Sounds great," Natsu watched as the two males strolled off, then chuckled when he heard his dad mention smelling ham. "Oi! Don't eat any! Lucy'll kill ya!" He just counted himself lucky Lucy hadn't caught him after sneaking a tiny piece before she popped it in the oven.

"Happy Thanksgiving," Natsu's mother, Grandeeney, said as she wrapped her arms around him. He hugged her back, wishing her a happy Thanksgiving as well before parting to give Mavis a hug.

Natsu easily picked her up. "Damn! I swear you get shorter every time you visit."

The woman giggled, merely shrugging when he set her down. "Wow," she looked around at the house. "This is really nice."

"Right," Natsu grinned. "Lucy's busy right now, but I'll give you guys a tour!"

Igneel and Zeref joined their wives as the tour started. He showed them the living room, dining room, kitchen, and so on until they got to the master bedroom. Happy was curled up right in front of the closed door. "Lucy's getting ready in there, so I'll show you guys lat-"

"I'm ready," Lucy's voice came from the other side of the door before it swung open, revealing the woman in jeans and a sweater. "Come on in!" Happy scurried away from the sudden noise, going off to the living room to continue his nap.

Natsu's family shuffled in the room to get a look. He glanced around, seeing Lucy already cleaned up the bed and hid the items they just used before guests arrived. "You look nice," he whispered, kissing her temple before looking down to see her outfit of choice again.

She wore a light blue sweater with dark jeans. Her hair was pulled into pigtails, giving her an innocent look. Natsu held back a laugh. He knew Lucy was anything but innocent, especially after what they just did.

That thought quickly vanished when he saw Lucy press her palm against her stomach, a slight grimace showing on her face. "You okay?" He asked, hand coming up to rub at her back.

"Yeah," she breathed. "Just feeling a little weird..."

Natsu leaned in to whisper in her ear. "Was the sex that bad?"

Lucy laughed, playfully pushing at his chest. "Shut up."

Natsu was about to tease her more, but he stopped when he saw his family coming back towards the door. He led them to the backyard to finish the tour, then ultimately ended in the living room where they took a seat to begin chatting. It wasn't long until their other guests arrived. Lucy was in the middle of pulling the ham out of the oven when Levy came strolling in the kitchen.

"Wow, Lu," the woman sniffed the air, "that smells great."

"Thanks," Lucy turned to face her friend, her brow raising when she saw Levy's smile didn't reach her eyes. "Happy Thanksgiving. How are you?"

Levy kept her fake smile. "Good. Happy Thanksgiving to you too." She held up two pans wrapped in foil. "I brought cheesy baked mashed potatoes and stuffing."

"Great," Lucy helped her set them on the counter. "It smells wonderful."

"Thanks," Levy said softly. She turned to see if anyone was near. "Lucy, can I talk to you about something?" In a whisper, she added, "in private?"

A slightly uneasy feeling washed over Lucy, but she ignored it in favor of not seeming rude. "Sure. We can go to the guest bedroom."

They passed by the spare room on their way to the guest bedroom. Natsu and Lucy still hadn't decided what they were going to use it for, so right now it held their boxes they hadn't unpacked yet. Lucy entered the guest bedroom. It had a simple full sized bed with fresh sheets. So far that was the only things in the room. They really weren't expecting overnight guests anytime soon.

"What's up?" Lucy asked when she shut the door behind them.

Levy walked over to the bed, sitting on the edge then patting beside her for Lucy to sit. She took a seat next to her friend, wondering why she was being so secretive. Silence fell between them as Levy gathered her thoughts. She pulled out her phone, but didn't do anything with it except set it in her lap.

"I wanted to talk to you about something," Levy's voice was barely above a whisper.

Lucy couldn't help but frown. Her friend's behavior was a little unsettling. "Is everything alright?"

Levy shook her head. "I... I was talking to a co-worker the other day..." She paused, eyes falling to her lap. "We were just talking about something, then she asked me if I was following the latest news in Crocus..."

Lucy felt her heart sink. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't open her mouth to say a word. Levy continued, turning on her phone to show a news article covering Lucy's court case with Jackal. "Lucy, why didn't you tell us?"

Tears welled up in her eyes, but she still couldn't say anything. She merely dropped her head, a lock of blonde hair shifting to cover her eyes, but there was nothing she could do to hide her quivering chin.

"Oh Lucy," Levy wrapped a hand around Lucy's shoulders. It was enough to make Lucy let out a sob before covering her face with her hands to hide her crying. Levy wanted to ask, _"did he really beat and rape you?"_ but she didn't. It wasn't that she didn't believe Lucy was telling the truth in court, it was that Levy didn't want to believe something like that could happen to her friend.

Lucy's reaction was all the confirmation she needed. Levy held her tightly, whispering how proud she is that she stood up to her abusive ex-husband. "Not a lot of people could do that, Lucy."

Her words helped a little, but it also brought back the pain of going through the trial. Lucy was trying to put it past her, but it was difficult when brought up. "H-how m-many people know?" Lucy managed to say between the sobs that racked her body.

Levy frowned, wishing the question hadn't been asked. "Gajeel... Erza, Gray, and Juvia... I don't know if Erza told Jellal yet..." Shortly after Levy found out she told Gajeel, only to learn a few days later Erza already knew since she kept up-to-date with the latest news in Crocus. When asked why she didn't say anything, Erza said she was respecting Lucy's privacy.

_"If Lucy wanted us to know, she would have said something."_

Levy wished she'd told Gajeel not to say anything. He told Gray, who told Juvia. The only person Levy wasn't sure knew was Jellal, and she doubted Erza would keep that even from him. "I'm really sorry, Lu."

Lucy shook her head. She scrubbed at her eyes, trying to rid herself of tears before finally facing her friend. With a broken smile, she said, "it's okay. Everyone was b-bound to find out anyways..."

Lucy made a mental note to stay by someone tonight at all times. The urge to cut surfaced in her head, the need to drag that razor against her skin to dull the pain in her heart. She felt embarrassed they found out, but at least she didn't have to see their initial reactions or tell them in person.

Lucy remembered talking to Igneel and Grandeeney about it a while back. They'd reacted just how she imagined: sad, trying to comfort her, telling her they'd help if she needed it, then finally with hugs and words of comfort that brought Lucy to tears. It was a lot harder dealing with that than this was, but that was because she dealt with their raw emotions. At least Levy had time to prepare herself.

Lucy shifted on the bed since her jeans were digging into her skin. She wished she would have bought some bigger jeans the last time they went to the department store, but she was being stubborn and insisted she didn't need new clothes. Now she regretted it, feeling the material dig into her skin.

"If you need anything," Levy started, "don't hesitate to ask."

Lucy replied with a tight hug. "Thank you." She sniffled, her tears slowly drying up. She could already feel her nose and cheeks were red. She would have to clean up again before going back out there. "I've just been so emotional these past few months."

It was true. She had adjusted to her life with Jackal. Sure she feared what he would do to her next, but she was used to it. Ever since her mother passed away she'd been riding on an emotional roller coaster. With divorcing Jackal, getting together with Natsu, and now settling into their new life, Lucy was tired. She hoped things would finally calm down now that the hardest parts were over with.

Levy nodded in understanding. "Just know any of us would do anything to help you. If you ever need us."

Lucy wanted to laugh. "Thanks. It feels... nice." It warmed her heart knowing people actually cared about her. For a while she honestly believed they'd been better off without her in their lives.

Lucy and Levy stayed in the bedroom for a few more minutes. Lucy wiped away the stray tears while Levy told her how much she missed her. They lost track of time. The only thing to break them out of their little moment was a soft knock coming from the door, followed by Natsu's voice.

"Everything okay in there?"

"Yeah," Lucy called, her voice a little scratchy. "We'll be out soon."

"Okay. Just wanted to tell you your dad and Virgo showed up."

"Thank you," Lucy sighed. She wasn't sure if she wanted to see her father. Despite him making an effort she still felt weird around him. She guessed that wasn't going to change easily, but she was okay with that. It wasn't good to force it.

"Are you ready to get back out there?" Levy asked, glancing at the door where she could hear Natsu walking away.

"Yeah, just give me a minute to freshen up."

Levy waited on the bed while Lucy wiped at her face with her sleeve. She was thankful her friend decided to stick around. Being alone wasn't the best option for her right now, even if the thoughts of self-harm were slowly fading. It was better to be safe than sorry.

A few minutes later the two girls were leaving the guest bedroom to reenter the kitchen. Lucy checked on the food before she started moving it to the folding tables Natsu set out for today. There were two tables set up next to each other. One in the dining room while the other was pushing halfway into the living room.

Having something to do helped ease Lucy's troubled mind. By the time she finished setting up she was already forgetting her troubles. Lucy heard giggling, then saw children running through the kitchen before spinning around to head back down the hall. Lucy couldn't help but smile when she saw the similarities the kids shared with Gray and Juvia.

Lucy thought it would be hard seeing their kids, but it only filled her heart with happiness. Seeing them reminded her not of her infertility, but of the possibilities. _'We should talk more about adoption,'_ Lucy thought as she went to grab some plastic cups. _'Who knows... Maybe in a year or two we can actually grow our family.'_

She knew it wasn't wise to rush into the decision. She still had a long way to go with her recovery. Natsu was doing pretty well, but they couldn't avoid alcohol forever. It was one of the main reasons he was doing so well. As she thought about that she grabbed a bottle of sparkling apple cider to place on the table. Lucy was proud of Natsu for his successful three months without alcohol.

She stole one last look at the food before calling everyone in to eat. Despite it looking delicious, Lucy felt nauseous. There were so many smells in the air, messing with her stomach. Regardless, Lucy sat down between Natsu and her father when everyone joined her to eat.

Everyone dug in, passing plates to one another while chatting about the football game showing later that day. Lucy smiled when she saw Juvia making her kid's plates. They smiled up at her with an adoration Lucy couldn't describe.

Lucy's plate consisted of a little of everything while Natsu's was piled so high it looked like it would topple over if someone whispered near it. Lucy wrinkled her nose when Natsu poured some hot sauce in a small bowl by his plate. The spicy smell made her stomach twist again. She shifted in her seat, discretely tugging at the waistband of her pants to relieve her discomfort.

Luckily no one seemed to notice as they carried on, eating their meals and talking about whatever came to mind. Lucy smiled when Erza brought up the time they all went on a camping trip together. That got Gray and Juvia's kids begging to go camping, only to pout when they were told it would be impractical to go camping this time of year.

Lucy remembered that camping trip. The girls and boys were complaining that there wasn't enough room in their tents, so Natsu and Lucy volunteered to sleep outside. In the bed of Gajeel's truck they laid down a few blankets, huddled in their sleeping bags, and counted the stars until they fell asleep next to each other.

If only Lucy could go back to that moment. She would have confessed her feelings for Natsu instead of holding off in fear of her father finding out. Of course her mother still would have gotten sick, her father's company would have failed, and she'd be put in the same situation as before.

"You okay?" Natsu whispered when he noticed the watery brown eyes staring absentmindedly at her plate.

She startled a bit, but not enough to rouse attention. "O-oh, yeah." A small smile crept on her lips. "I was just thinking about the camping trip."

By now the others had changed the subject, now talking about the time Gray got kicked out of a supermarket because he stripped down to his boxers. Natsu's mind snapped back to that weekend in the woods. He got eaten alive by mosquitoes, they didn't pack enough food so by the last day he was starving, and the shower station was closed for repairs so everyone carried a little more sweat than desired, but it was one of the best weekends of his life.

Spending the night sleeping beside Lucy, counting the stars, watching her peaceful face as she drifted to sleep, then waking up next to her... He wanted those moments to last forever, and now he got his wish. All he had to do was not mess up, and he'd get to spend the rest of his life going to bed with Lucy and waking up beside her. It was honestly a dream come true.

Natsu rose to his feet before his brain registered what he was doing. The movement caused a breeze to drift by Lucy, filling her nose with not only the combination of food on Natsu's plate, but the smell of hot sauce mixed with his body wash. Her stomach churned, causing her to grip onto her thighs just to hold back the urge to dry heave.

"I'll be right back," Natsu said before exiting the room. He was gone for less than a minute before he returned, a slight bulge protruding from his right pocket.

"I umm," Natsu started, completely unprepared. "I was gonna wait until later to do this, but I honestly don't think I can." Thinking about how happy he was to be with Lucy assured him he was making the right decision.

Natsu grabbed his glass of sparkling apple cider, raising it in the air for everyone to see. "I'd like to start off with a toast. First off, thanks for everyone who came here today. I know this was a little last minute, but I think it turned out pretty fu-" Natsu stopped when he realized there were children present. "-Freakin' awesome."

He saw everyone nodding as they waited for him to say more. "This year I'm thankful for friends and family. Without you guys I don't know what I'd do." Then he glanced down at Lucy, seeing her eyes were still wet, but no tears formed yet.

"And I'm thankful to have Lucy back in my life. I can't even begin to tell you how much I missed you," his cheek twitched at the same time his eyes pricked. If he didn't reign it in he'd surely tear up soon. "Anyways, thanks for joining us today." He raised the glass a little bit more, everyone else raising theirs to clink against the people closest to them.

Natsu watched as everyone took a sip of their drinks. He gulped, realizing the easy part was over. He set his drink down after taking a sip, then slid his hand into his pocket.

"There's something else I wanted to do today."

Instead of continuing to stand, Natsu pushed his seat back just as he pulled a small box from his pocket. He wasn't even down on one knee before he heard his mother gasp. "Lucy," Natsu started, feeling his hands shake as he looked up at the woman he loved. "I know this is probably too soon, and we still have a lot of work we need to do, but I don't think I can wait another minute without knowing. I think it's true that time heals all wounds, but when I'm with you it feels like time stands still. I know that probably doesn't make sense, but you just make my wounds hurt less when I'm with you."

Natsu could hear himself starting to ramble. He decided now was the best time to proceed, not wanting to risk going on a rant about time and wounds. He was never all that good with words anyway.

Lucy stared down in shock when Natsu opened the box, revealing a diamond ring. Her eyes raked over the silver band, two small diamonds surrounding a bigger one in the center. She looked up at Natsu's soft green eyes, seeing the mixture of nervousness and love.

Everyone sat still, waiting on bated breath as Natsu asked, "Lucy, will you marry me?"

The air around Lucy felt extraordinarily thin as she went to take a breath. She slowly opened her mouth, ready to say that three letter word Natsu was wanting to hear, but instead a hand was quickly slapped over her mouth as she jumped from her seat.

Lucy bolted from the chair to run to the kitchen sink. From the dining room everyone heard her puke in the sink, all while Natsu was still kneeling by her chair. "Uhh," Natsu slowly dropped his hands, unsure what to do. He imagined a million possibilities, but Lucy running away to vomit was definitely not one of them.

Levy went to check if she was alright while Natsu stayed on the ground. Was he supposed to get up? He had no idea. He'd only seen a handful of romantic movies, but they never ended like this.

"Lucy, what's wrong?" Levy's voice could be heard from the other room.

"I-I... don't feel so w-" Lucy started, but then her voice faded out just as Levy yelped.

"Lucy!"

At hearing Levy scream, Natsu rose to race to the kitchen. With the box still in his hand he rushed over to where Levy was barely holding Lucy up. Her eyes were closed, her body going limp in Levy's arms.

"What happened?" Natsu shouted as he grabbed Lucy. Panic swarmed him as he carelessly tossed the ring to Levy.

"I don't know!" Levy said just as more people gathered in the kitchen. "She was fine one second, then the next she passed out!"

"Should we try to wake her?" Gray asked, subconsciously unbuttoning his shirt before Juvia slapped his hands away.

"Juvia thinks Lucy should go to the hospital."

Natsu cringed. _'Is this serious? It has to be. Otherwise why would she just pass out?'_ He looked back at Lucy's face, seeing no signs of consciousness. "Okay," he said as calmly as he could before lifting her up into his arms, one hand around her back while the other was under her knees. "Can someone get the door? Lucy's keys should be on the hook over there."

Igneel went to grab the door while Zeref took the car keys and followed them outside. Natsu went to grab the door handle to Lucy's car, but was stopped when Grandeeney said, "we'll drive you." She motioned over to her SUV parked on the curb.

Deciding it was better to be close to Lucy, Natsu nodded and headed to his mom's car. He didn't like this one bit. He had no idea why Lucy would faint. It's not like she was tired or anything. She'd never done that before.

Natsu sat in the backseat with Lucy on his lap the entire ride to the hospital. He didn't take his motion sickness pill beforehand, so he was nauseous the whole time.

Right as they pulled up to the emergency drop-off, Lucy opened her eyes. A groan tore from her throat as she blinked up at Natsu. "Wha-?" She closed her eyes again, furrowing her brows to fight off the headache setting in. "Natsu?"

"We're here," he said as he helped her into his arms while shifting out of the vehicle. Igneel helped him while his mom went to park the car.

Right behind her was five other cars, each carrying a different family from the party. It seemed like no one was going to wait around at their house, all wanting to find out what happened to their friend.

Jude and Grandeeney entered the emergency room's waiting area at the same time, each walking up to Igneel to find out what was happening. Igneel looked just as confused as they were. "They told Natsu to put her in a wheelchair, then they rolled her off. He went with her. She woke up, but all she could do was mumble."

Concern flashed through their eyes. "Can we go back there?"

"I don't think so," Igneel said as he looked at the door they went through. "They didn't seem to want Natsu back there." He let out a strained chuckle when he recalled how stubborn his son had been, insisting that he went with Lucy until they gave up and let him.

"The nurse said to wait out here." Igneel glanced over to the waiting area with rows of chairs facing a TV. The local news played, but it couldn't be heard over the murmuring coming from down the hall.

In no time at all the waiting room was flooded with twelve adults and two children, all waiting for Lucy. The rest of the waiting room was pretty bare considering it was a holiday. Only three other people were scattered in the area, all watching the TV despite the noise coming from Lucy's concerned friends.

Igneel wished he had more information, but he was limited to what he saw. They would just have to wait for some news when it came through. They all stood for a few more minutes before trickling over to the chairs when they realized the wait would be longer than they thought.

They only hoped Lucy was alright.

* * *

Lucy sat alone in the doctor's office. Natsu had left when the doctor asked for some privacy. He refused at first, but when Lucy gently asked him to listen to the doctor he finally cracked. She only thought about the pain in his eyes as he left the room, only to watch as the doctor walked out with him.

Lucy was beyond tired. She didn't remember passing out. All she remembered was feeling sick, then being in the car. She only really regained consciousness when the doctor flashed a light in her eyes. That was enough to snap her awake.

Then she got a few things done. They took her blood pressure, temperature, heart rate, and even some of her urine. They asked her a series of questions which she answered the best she could considering how dizzy she felt. They gave her some water and sent her to the doctor's office.

After some time the doctor returned. With a stern look, he asked, "do you feel safe at home?"

Lucy widened her eyes. "What?"

"Do you feel safe at home?" He repeated, no traces of emotion in his voice.

"Yes," Lucy furrowed her brows. "Why would you ask that?"

"When checking your heart rate I noticed some scarring on your stomach. Are those self-inflicted?"

She felt her face warm in humiliation. "Y-yes."

The doctor went to sit on a stool, bringing out a clipboard to write down her answers. "When was the last time you cut yourself?"

Lucy had to think about it. A month? Maybe a month and a half ago?" She wasn't exactly marking her calendar.

"Are you seeking help?"

Lucy nodded, relieved she could bring some good news to the table. "Yes. I see a counselor about it."

"Good," the doctor wrote that down. While he was jotting down his notes, Lucy's eyes wandered to the door.

"Why did you tell Natsu to leave?"

The doctor didn't look up as he said, "I sent your husband out because it's standard here to when abuse is suspected."

Lucy skimmed over the 'husband' part, instead focusing on the abuse. "But he isn't abusing me!"

"Well, we don't know that without asking first," he finally looked up at her. "It's important to make sure you feel safe when asking. If he was in here you might have been compelled to change your answer."

Lucy shook her head. "He's not hurting me. These are from something else... Something out of my life now."

"That's good," the doctor went back to his notes, giving Lucy the chance to think.

She remembered every time she went to the doctors since marrying Jackal. He was always there, never allowing her to be alone with anyone. Maybe if they'd followed those rules she could have sought help, but in the end she probably wouldn't have. Her mother's life was on the line, so she was completely at his mercy.

A shiver passed through her spine at the memory of that horrid man. She hoped he was having 'fun' in prison. She couldn't imagine how a guy like him would do in a place like that. He might act tough, but in the end all he was able to do was beat on a woman who wouldn't defend herself and a man who was exhausted and sick. He wouldn't fare well in prison surrounded by other criminals.

"-filia?"

Lucy blinked, realizing the doctor was talking to her. "What?"

"I asked when the first day of your last menstrual cycle was?"

Her lips twisted into a frown. "It's been a while. I've been having irregular periods for years."

"I see," the doctor marked something on the paper. "Well that probably explains why you didn't come in sooner."

"What do you mean?" Lucy asked as the doctor stood up.

"Give me a moment," the doctor said before leaving the room. He returned a few minutes later with a large machine on wheels. "I looked for your husband out there. I'm not sure where he went," he said as he plugged the machine into the wall.

"Can you lift your shirt?" The doctor asked, missing the way Lucy flinched.

"Wh-why?" She didn't want to show any skin to the doctor, medical or not. Besides, why would he need to see her torso.

"Just up until you hit under your chest. I need you like that for this to work." He flashed her a soft smile, "I promise I'm a professional. If you want I can page the front desk to get a female nurse in here, or I can try to find your husband."

"He's not my husband," Lucy whispered, though right now she wished he was. "He's my boyfriend."

"Oh," the doctor nodded. "My apologizes. I can still try to get a hold of him."

Lucy pulled her phone from her back pocket. "I'll just text him." She only half-trusted this doctor. She'd rather send the message herself than risk him sending out a fake message. The doctor went to a phone on the wall, calling for a female nurse to join them.

A minute later a female showed up, standing off to the side to act as a comfort. Lucy sighed after sending the text. She didn't know when she got so paranoid, but in cases like this she'd rather be safe than sorry. When a minute passed by without Natsu showing up, Lucy finally lifted her shirt, stopping when she hit her bra. At least there was a female in there with her.

"I'm going to tuck this into your waistband," he held up something that looked like a cross between paper and thin fabric. Slowly he moved until he could tuck it in. Lucy tensed at his touch, but it was over before she knew it.

"And last but not least, the gel."

Lucy raised a brow when he grabbed a tube of gel. She realized now what he was trying to do. "Why are you trying to give me an ultrasound?" She'd had a few before when she was trying to conceive, but they all showed the same thing: nothing.

"Because Lucy," the doctor started as he squeezed out some cold gel on her lower stomach, "you're pregnant."

Lucy barely reacted. "No I'm not." She didn't say anything else, because anything more would have been a waste of breath.

"If you say so," the doctor let out the first laugh of the night. "I gotta say, you're the only patient I've had to keep a straight face after saying you're pregnant."

"Because I'm not," Lucy was now scowling. "I'm infertile."

"Well that can't be true," the doctor's laughter ceased when he noticed her put-off demeanor. "The test came back positive?"

"What test?" Lucy thought back. Just as she realized which one he was referring to, he answered.

"You're urine test. We drop a pregnancy test in there just to be safe. Your fainting is most likely just a side effect. Are you taking any prenatal vitamins?" He asked as he turned on the machine.

Lucy's anger didn't fade. It only grew. "Why would I take vitamins if I'm not pregnant?" She was getting tired of this doctor messing around with her. She flashed her eyes over to the door, wondering where the hell Natsu was. Just at that moment she received a text from the man, saying he was on his way back to the room. Apparently he got caught up talking to both their dads since neither male would leave Natsu alone until he gave an update.

"You'd be surprised how many women take the vitamin without being pregnant. It's good for skin, hair, and nails." When the machine was loaded, he grabbed the transducer probe and pressed it against her skin, smearing the gel to coat her belly.

Lucy's frown didn't fade until she heard a sound thrumming coming from the machine, followed by an image of her uterus. Only, instead of seeing it empty like she had so many times before, she saw the blurry imagine of the outline of a baby.

The air from her lungs left her in an instant. The doctor noticed, the corner of his lips quirking up at her reaction. "Lucy. You're pregnant. That's your baby."

* * *

Natsu had some trouble finding Lucy's room again after leaving. When he went to tell his family they hadn't found anything out, he was bombarded with questions he couldn't answer yet. He barely managed to escape from them before making his way back to the rooms.

Just before he went through the doors, Levy grabbed his shirt. "Wait. You forgot this."

Natsu turned to see the little box in her hands. His lips twitched into a smile. "Thanks," he grabbed it, pocketing the engagement ring before making his way through the door. He had to ask a few nurses, but he eventually found the room containing the love of his life.

Instead of being greeted with the soft smile he last saw Lucy wearing, he was greeted with the sound of crying. He rushed into the room, not bothering to knock. Lucy sat on the bed, her clothes back to normal as she laid on her side. The doctor was no longer in the room, leaving Lucy all by herself.

"What happened?"

Natsu assumed the worse based on her tears. He was expecting horrible news, not at all what she said. "N-Natsu... I'm... I'm p-pregnant..."

It took him a few moments to process the information. "You're... _pregnant?_ " He looked down at her stomach, then back up at her face. "How?"

"I d-don't kn-know," she sobbed, wrapping her arms around her.

"H-hey," Natsu walked over to her, resting a hand on her side. "This is good news, right? No, better than good. It's amazing!" Despite knowing they weren't exactly ready to start a family, he couldn't deny the excitement that burst through his being at finding out she was pregnant. She could finally have a kid of her own. He could actually be a dad. They could have their little family after all.

Some part in the back of Natsu's mind still reminded him that adoption was still an option, but for now he needed to focus on what was in front of him, and that was a crying Lucy who refused to look at him.

"What's wrong, Lucy?"

She shook her head, slamming her eyes shut. "You don't want to know."

"I promise I do," Natsu tried to keep his voice calm, but he was barely holding it together. Lucy was pregnant? There was so much that needed to be done before she gave birth to a little baby girl or boy. Just as he started thinking about each gender, a crucial detail popped into his mind.

"When are you due?"

That seemed to be the wrong question to ask, only bringing her more tears. "Lucy. Please tell me what's wrong?"

"I'm... I'm... f-fourteen weeks..."

Natsu raised a brow. He couldn't understand why she sounded so upset. "Isn't that good?" He remembered hearing something about the longer someone was pregnant the less the chance of miscarriage gets.

With her eyes still closed, she confessed, "we only st-started having sex exactly fourteen w-weeks ago."

Natsu still wasn't understanding. "Isn't that good?"

She shook her head. "F-fourteen weeks ago w-was the l-last t-time... J-Jac-" Her voice cut out for a moment. "H-he r-raped m-me f-fourte-"

Lucy didn't have to finish for Natsu to finally understand. Fourteen weeks ago was when Jackal last raped her and Natsu started having sex with her. "So there's a chance it's not mine?" Natsu asked, wondering if that was why she was upset.

Lucy nodded, her head burying under her hands as she shed more tears. "I'm s-so sorry! I-I didn't mean to g-get pr-pregnant!" Lucy thought she couldn't conceive. It was the only reason she didn't have Natsu wear a condom. If she'd known there was a chance she would have told him so he could make the choice. Now she felt like she was trapping him.

Or worse.

She might be pregnant with Jackal's baby.

More tears flooded her already stinging eyes as she realized her life with Natsu might be ending soon. There was no way he'd want to be with her if she was carrying another man's baby.

Her fears were only worsened when she felt Natsu's hand lift from her side. She heard some shifting, expecting him to leave the room any minute, but instead she was surprised when she heard him say, "Lucy... Will you marry me?"

Lucy slowly pulled her hands away from her face. She opened her eyes, her vision blurry until she blinked away some tears. Natsu was down on one knee again, the same ring from earlier in his hands, outstretched to present it to her.

"I don't care if that baby isn't mine, because no matter what it's yours, and that's enough of a reason to love him or her." Natsu never felt so sure in his life. "If you'll let me, I want to help you raise your child... Our child... If it's mine, well then awesome. If not, I can live with that. I want to be with you forever Lucy, and something as petty as genetics isn't going to change that. I'll be the best dad I can be to that baby. That I can swear on my life."

When Lucy didn't say anything, he continued. "I love you no matter what. I just want to have a family with you. And besides, if you got pregnant once who's to say you couldn't get pregnant again? And adoption's still an option, just throwing it out there."

Natsu felt himself rambling, but he didn't want to stop now. "Please let me be a father to your child... To our child... I feel really silly proposing to you in a hospital while you're crying, but I really don't know any other way to show you how serious I am right now. I really, _really_ love you Lucy, from the bottom of my heart."

Lucy was now crying for a different reason. She couldn't believe Natsu was being this understanding, though honestly she shouldn't have doubted him. He was full of so much love. It only made sense he would love a child even if he didn't conceive it himself. Besides, there was still the smallest possibility that he might be the father, though Lucy was doubtful.

If she was fourteen weeks pregnant, and they had sex for the first time exactly fourteen weeks ago, there was a slim chance it was his sperm that fermented her egg. It could take a few days to actually get pregnant, and Jackal had raped her the day before she made it to Magnolia.

"Pr-promise you'll love him or her? Regardless?" Lucy felt her voice cracking, but she stayed strong enough to hear his answer.

Natsu smiled, bringing his hand up to take hers. It was warm and comforting, just like his presence. "I promise I will love him or her no matter what." He knew he could live up to that promise. If Igneel and Grandeeney could love him like their own then he could certainly do it too. "Will you marry me?" He felt dumb asking three times, but she still hadn't answered him. "We don't have to get married right away. I just want to know if you want to."

"Yes," Lucy finally said. "I really want to marry you, Natsu."

The two joined in a kiss. It was wet due to her tears, but neither minded as he wrapped his arms around her to bring her closer. "I love you," Lucy mumbled against his lips before stealing another kiss. "You promise you're not mad?" She wouldn't blame him if he was. They weren't exactly ready for parenthood, but she knew if they worked together they could pull it off.

"Absolutely. Why would I be mad?" Natsu didn't give her a chance to answer before kissing her again.

When he finally released her lips, she voiced the question nagging at her mind. "Should I get a DNA test?"

"No," Natsu didn't hesitate. "Because if it is his, I don't want him to know about it."

"Would it be selfish to keep a baby away from him?" Lucy really didn't know. Normally she felt the father had the right to know, but this case certainly wasn't normal.

"I don't think so," Natsu said honestly. "I just don't want him to try to take the kid away from us."

Lucy tingled all over when he said that. She glazed over the fear of Jackal taking her baby, only focusing on how sure Natsu was that the baby would be 'theirs', regardless of DNA.

"Okay. We won't get a test."

Jackal forced himself on her, so he had no claims over her child. Besides, what judge in their right mind would take the baby away from its mother to give to a convicted rapist?

They kissed again, then Lucy happily extended her hand so Natsu could slip the ring on her finger. It was a little loose, but in his defense he didn't know her ring size. Lucy told him it was fine. They could always get it resized later. Right now she was just happy things seemed to be working out.

It was going to be a rough journey, but they could get through it if they stuck together. After all, everything was more fun when they were together.

"Hey Natsu..." Lucy whispered as they walked down the hall to the waiting area.

"Yeah?" He glanced down at her, mentally noting they would have to go shopping later for some clothes that actually fit her.

A coy smile rose on her face as she said, "I don't think I'm going to associate our first Thanksgiving with anal sex anymore..."

Natsu snorted. "Actually, funny story. After the doc asked me about your cuts, I asked him if maybe I caused you to faint from our sex."

Lucy's face flushed a few shades of red. "You did not!"

Natsu chuckled. "I did. He said no. Anal sex typically doesn't cause fainting."

She could only shake her head as they passed through the door, immediately greeted by their friends and family. Questions were thrown their way so fast neither Natsu or Lucy could grasp them.

To end them all at once, Lucy looked up at Natsu, then back at the group. "I'm pregnant!"

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before I even typed down Lucy's infertility I already planned for her to get pregnant. (There is a somewhat logical reason for why she couldn't get pregnant before. That will be revealed next chapter) Sorry for putting you guys through that, but it was important for the story.
> 
> Up next, Chapter Twenty-One: I do
> 
> I'm guessing by the title you can figure out what the next chapter will be about. :) Don't forget to tell me what you thought! I love hearing from you! If all goes as planned there will be two more chapters and an epilogue, so stay tuned. Can anyone guess why Lucy couldn't get pregnant until now? 
> 
> What do you think of their decision to not get a DNA test/keeping her pregnancy a secret from Jackal? Normally I hate when women keep their pregnancies from the rightful father, but I believe in this case Jackal doesn't have a right to the child even if there's a chance it could be his, but what do you think?


	21. I Do

**Chapter Twenty-One: I Do**

The next few months seemed to fly by as Natsu and Lucy prepared for the new addition to their family. The spare room was now transformed into a baby's room, complete with furniture and a closet full of blue and green clothing.

Yes. Natsu and Lucy were having a baby boy. They found out when Lucy hit her eighteenth week in her pregnancy in an ultrasound. Needless to say they were excited over the reveal. Lucy always wanted a son to love and care for, and Natsu couldn't wait to teach him how to fight. He could already imagine how amazing it'd be having the third person in their house, not counting Happy of course.

So far the only issue they had with the pregnancy was Lucy's placenta hadn't migrated away from her cervix yet, but the doctor she saw assured her it wasn't that big of a deal. She would just need some follow-up appointments as she got closer to her due date to make sure it moved. Other than that, her pregnancy was going great.

With the baby room set up and their recoveries proceeding, it was time to plan their wedding. Lucy wanted to get married before the baby came. It would make things easier since they wouldn't have to worry about another human being while going through the ceremony.

They decided to get married towards the end of February. Lucy would be estimated at twenty-seven weeks pregnant, and Natsu would be around six months sober. Each day was different in their recovery. Some days it felt like they didn't have built up issues, but others they would struggle just to reach nighttime.

They attended a few social gatherings throughout the months, ultimately preparing for having people together for the wedding. Natsu felt his control slip just a bit when he was around alcohol, but he managed to keep it together. He didn't want to disappoint Lucy or himself. If he wanted to show Lucy he could be a good dad he had to prove it.

Lucy hadn't cut herself in months, mostly due to being pregnant. It wasn't that she thought making a simple cut would hurt the baby, it was because now she didn't hate her body as much. It was able to do what she wanted it to do, even if it took a while.

Speaking of which, they found out why it took her so long to get pregnant. A week before the wedding, Natsu and Lucy flew to Crocus to have a little talk with her old doctor. Once they got to the examination room and the doctor, Dr. Orga Nanagear, came in, he looked at Lucy's round belly. "So you finally got pregnant," he commented before sitting down on a stool.

Lucy nodded, "yes, but I was wanting to know why? My last doctor said I was infertile." That was the reason Jackal switched her to see this doctor to get a second opinion.

"That doctor no longer works here," Dr. Nanagear said. "He resigned shortly after I took over as your doctor."

Lucy furrowed her brows. "Why's that?"

Natsu sat off to the side, silently observing their conversation. He didn't know much about medical stuff, and even less about pregnancies. He was trying to read the books Lucy gave him, but some things were harder to read than others. He honestly didn't realize how _messy_ pregnancy would be.

"Why don't you ask him yourself," her doctor scribbled something on a piece of paper, then handed it to her. "He's working at that clinic now. You should pay him a visit. I'm not at liberty to discuss what he did to you."

That only served to confuse her more. Weren't doctors allowed to talk to each other about the same patient? She assumed he would, but the man in front of her seemed determined to keep his mouth shut.

"Good luck," was all he said before leaving the room.

Natsu and Lucy threw each other a glance, then shrugged. They wanted to know why she was deemed infertile when she clearly wasn't, but now it was turning into a wild goose chase. Lucy just wanted a simple answer, but she found out soon enough it was never that simple.

They sat in the waiting room of the free clinic for what felt like hours, but finally the doctor came to grab them. He seemed uncomfortable with the visit, but led them to his personal office anyway.

Natsu noticed the doctor's long blonde hair immediately. It was hard not to. Most men didn't wear their hair like that, especially not doctors. Natsu felt a little uneasy from the man's expression, but decided to say nothing for the time being. He wasn't here to talk, only listen and find out the truth.

Truthfully he didn't mind not knowing. He was okay with accepting Lucy's pregnancy as a miracle and move on, but Lucy wanted to know, so he was there for support. Once the door to the doctor's office was closed, he said, "I'm going to need to see your cell phones."

Lucy and Natsu shared similar expressions: narrowed eyes and cocked heads. "Why?"

"To make sure you're not recording." It was the only thing the doctor said before holding out his hands.

Natsu gave Lucy a wary look before handing over his phone. He couldn't figure out why the doctor would think they would record this conversation. Lucy handed over her phone too, watching as the man turned both devices off, then set them on his desk. "Now please lift your shirts so I can check for wires.

"No way," Natsu growled. He was already getting a bad vibe from the doctor, but his request made him sure he wasn't imagining it.

Lucy on the other hand complied. She lifted her shirt up to her bra to reveal her baby bump, as well as the lack of wires on her skin. "We don't have any recording devices?"

The doctor nodded, then told her she could drop her shirt. He turned to Natsu, waiting patiently until he huffed, then jerked his shirt up to show his toned stomach and chest, also absent of any wires.

"Good," the doctor smiled. "Now what can I do for you Mrs. Heartfilia?"

"It's actually _Miss_ Heartfilia," Lucy corrected.

"Oh, that's right," the doctor leaned back in his office chair, "I remember seeing something about your case on the local news."

"Yeah..." Lucy still felt a little uneasy when that subject was brought up, so she quickly switched topics. "We just came in to ask you a question."

"Does it have anything to do with my diagnosis?"

Lucy frowned. "Yes. You said I was infertile. I was wondering why?"

The doctor glanced between Natsu and Lucy, finally settling his gaze on Natsu. "Hi," he stretched out his hand, "I don't believe we've met. I'm Dr. Rufus Lore."

"Natsu," his voice was clipped, already irritated the man was dodging Lucy's question in favor of an introduction. He shook the man's hand quickly, probably putting a little too much grip in it, but it was a natural reaction to him holding back his scowl.

"Answer Lucy's question," Natsu demanded as he let go of the man's hand, green eyes narrowing in an attempt to intimidate the doctor.

It seemed to work. He cleared his throat, then turned to face Lucy again. "Look, I gave you that diagnosis thinking it would end your husband's constant visits. If he thought you were infertile he would stop stressing you out and putting pressure on you and me to get you pregnant. Or at least that's what I hoped he would do. Clearly that didn't work..."

"You wanted him to stop stressing me out?" Lucy didn't understand. "Is stress why I couldn't get pregnant?"

"Stress doesn't help with getting pregnant, but it doesn't stop it from happening." Dr. Lore's eyes lowered to her legs that were currently covered in jeans. "I wanted you to have less stress so hopefully you'd stop cutting yourself."

"What does that have anything to do with it?" Lucy felt like defending herself. If the doctor wasn't concerned when he first saw her cuts why would he be concerned now?

Dr. Lore's lips curved into a frown. "I personally didn't think you were ready to have a child. That's why I took action to delay the possibility of you getting pregnant until you got over your cutting problem."

Lucy's head spun at that news. "You... took action?"

"I did," Dr. Lore crossed his arms over his chest. "You remember those shots I gave you every three months and the pills?"

Lucy thought back to when she had to go to the hospital to get her fertility shots. "Yeah... The fertility shots..."

"That was birth control and placebo pills."

Silence filled the room. Lucy couldn't think for a moment, her mind shutting down. Natsu on the other hand felt enraged. "Why'd you give her birth control?" Lucy's constant rape was Jackal's way of getting her pregnant. If the doctor hadn't given her birth control she might have had her suffering ended sooner. Sure she would have conceived with Jackal, but at least then she'd have a baby to show for it.

"I didn't think she was stable enough to care for a child," Dr. Lore said without hesitation. "She was hacking away at her skin when she was stressed. What would she do if she had a child? Babies are stressful. In my honest opinion I didn't think she was ready to have a kid."

"That wasn't your decision to make," Natsu growled. "You should have given her the choice."

"How?" The doctor asked with a raised brow. "Her husband was always with us. It was obvious Lucy wasn't ready to have a baby, and I didn't want to anger Mr. Tartaros."

"What does that have anything to do with it?"

Dr. Lore shook his head. "His company is our biggest donor. Do you think he'd continue to support the hospital if I told him they _shouldn't_ have a kid?"

"Then why'd she get pregnant if she was on birth control?" Natsu wasn't ready to let the doctor's actions go, but he needed to know.

"Once I diagnosed her as infertile Jackal took her to see a different doctor. Dr. Nanagear immediately found out she was on birth control after running a simple test, so he took her off it and started giving her fertility treatment."

"When?" Natsu asked, clenching his jaw.

"If memory serves me it was about a year ago."

Lucy finally snapped back to reality. "Why didn't I get pregnant before?" She asked, her throat feeling especially tight. "I didn't start seeing you about my problem until I was married for..." She had to think about it. "Two years I believe. Why didn't I get pregnant before then?"

Dr. Lore sighed. "Just because two adults are healthy doesn't mean pregnancy will happen immediately. I know some healthy couples who take years to first conceive, and there are also some who get pregnant after the first try. The human body is tricky. A woman in my family actually took five years to get pregnant with her first child, and both her and her husband were fine."

Lucy asked the question she'd been wondering for a while. "Is Jackal really fertile?"

Dr. Lore glanced over at her, then sighed. "I'm not supposed to tell you since you're no longer married to him and he's not here, but I've already told you before so I guess it doesn't matter. Yes. Jackal's sperm count is just fine. He's just as capable of making a child as you are."

Lucy felt an emptiness spread throughout her body. She was hoping maybe Jackal was really infertile, and that was why she couldn't get pregnant before. It would be a way to prove Natsu was the father of her baby without getting a test done, but this news crushed that hope.

Jackal could very well be the father of her child... But... But Natsu didn't seem to mind. He went to every appointment with her, went out of his way to go baby shopping with her, and even helped pick out the baby's name. She wouldn't be going with 'Dragano' like he suggested, but it was the thought that counted. He was extremely involved in her pregnancy, and she hated thinking it would all be for nothing if the baby wasn't his.

Now that Lucy knew it really was a 50/50 chance either man was the father, she started asking different questions. An hour later Natsu and Lucy were leaving the clinic, questions answered and hearts heavy. Piling it all together, they came up with this timeline:

Once Lucy and Jackal were married they started having sex. Lucy would just lie there and accept whatever Jackal did to her as her 'wifely duties'. Lucy put up with that until the fifteenth month of their marriage. Up until then she'd been unlucky when it came to getting pregnant.

During the fifteenth month, Lucy gave up on writing Natsu anymore letters since she thought he wasn't going to write back to her. She had no idea he was never receiving the letters, so she felt hurt by the lack of contact. When she gave up Jackal tried to have sex with her. He was being rough, so she told him to stop. That resulted in him raping her for the first time, and it only escalated from there.

Shortly after he started raping her, Lucy started cutting herself to dull her emotional pain. She still hadn't gotten pregnant, but it was only by dumb luck. It had nothing to do with stress or possible infertility. By the time she saw Dr. Lore, she had a decent amount of cuts on her body.

The doctor took it upon himself to give her birth control instead of fertility treatments like her husband demanded she receive. Dr. Lore didn't feel she was in the right state of mind to have a child. The decision was not his to make, but he made it anyway.

The birth control rendered the rape, artificial insemination, and In vitro fertilization useless. Dr. Lore admitted to not even administering the procedures correctly. When she was supposed to be inserted with the samples it was actually empty. He was wasting their money and time because of his own beliefs.

Dr. Lore thought if he told Jackal Lucy was infertile he would give up on putting her through that much stress. He noticed every time she came back her cuts were increasing, so he guessed it was the husband's fault for putting so much pressure on her. He thought if she could fix her issues with her cutting she would be fit to be a good mother.

Once again, it wasn't his call, but he took measures into his own hands anyway.

Instead of getting Jackal to back off, he did quite the opposite. Jackal took her to see another doctor who immediately realized she was on birth control. After correcting the issue, Dr. Nanagear threatened Dr. Lore into resigning. If he didn't he was going to go to the medical board about his actions. He would surely lose his license to practice medicine, so in an effort to avoid that, Dr. Lore left his high-paying job to take a simple job at a free clinic.

The only reason Dr. Lore told them all this? They couldn't prove anything.

Dr. Nanagear didn't want to tell the truth in fear of losing Mr. Tartaros' donations, and Natsu and Lucy had no recording devices right now to back up what he said. All the files for Lucy's procedures were filled out correctly, and the inventories for the items used were changed to match what he said.

Instead of getting mad, Lucy accepted the news. She wouldn't say thank you, but she realized it was for the best in the end. She honestly didn't think the raping and beatings would stop once she got pregnant. It would most likely continue because Jackal was a sick and twisted man. Even if he got what he wanted he still wouldn't be satisfied, and Lucy knew that.

Dr. Lore said he didn't know Jackal was raping her until he saw the news. He just thought Lucy was cutting herself for other reasons. He wasn't a psychologist after all. He did admit he was sorry for manipulating her like that. If he'd known the whole truth he would have called someone to report Mr. Tartaros, but hindsight is 20/20.

Dr. Lore said the birth control he put her on wore off a few months after the last injection, so she was able to get pregnant sometime after that. It was once again bad luck she hadn't gotten pregnant until recently. Lucy asked him if he had a better idea on who the baby's father would be, but Dr. Lore said he honestly didn't know.

Natsu finally interrupted them, saying it didn't matter whose DNA it was, but Lucy said she was still curious. Natsu shook his head, then left the room, saying if she wanted to find out that was fine, but he didn't want to know. As much as Lucy wanted to stop him, it was his choice, so she let him go.

Lucy felt herself getting overwhelmed, but she stayed strong enough to get through the next part. She told Dr. Lore Jackal raped her on a Wednesday morning, then she drove to Magnolia where she had unprotected sex with Natsu that following Thursday night. The estimated date of conception fell right on that Thursday, but she knew it could take a few days to actually get pregnant.

Dr. Lore said he honestly didn't know, but he did give her a bit of good news. "Any calculation of a conception date is an estimate, and she could have gotten pregnant by either man." That meant there was a chance she was carrying Natsu's baby. As much as she didn't want to think about the paternity, she couldn't help herself. She would love the baby no matter what, but she still felt guilty thinking Natsu would raise a baby that might not be his.

The engaged couple left the clinic to go grab something to eat before their flight back to Magnolia. It was a quiet cab ride to the restaurant, but that could have been due to Natsu's upset stomach despite taking a motion sickness pill.

At the restaurant they calmly talked about what they were thinking. Natsu said he still didn't want to know the baby's paternity, but if Lucy ever wanted to know he would willingly take the test, as long as she didn't share the information with him. He wanted to be a dad to their child no matter what.

Lucy said she was only worried Natsu would end up regretting everything if it turned out Jackal was the father, but Natsu assured her that wouldn't happen. That put her worries to rest for the moment, but she didn't know how long it would last. Her mood was all over the place, but it could only partially be blamed on her pregnancy.

In an attempt to lighten the mood, Natsu asked, "you excited about next week?"

It seemed to work, seeing as a smile graced Lucy's lips. "Very, but I'm worried something will go wrong."

Natsu had to chuckle at that. It was a wedding between the two of them with all their friends and family around. Of course something would go wrong. The best case scenario was Natsu and Gray got in a fight, the worse was... Well Natsu didn't want to think about the worst. His biggest fear was Lucy getting cold feet, but so far she hadn't given him any reason to think she might have changed her mind.

"I'm sure everything will be fine," Natsu assured, reaching across the table to grab her hands. He just wanted to feel her, to draw comfort from her touch. "Is there anythin' else we need to do before the big day?"

Natsu was very involved in the pregnancy, but not so much in the wedding. Party planning wasn't really his thing, and making definitive decisions about color arrangements were further out of the question. Lucy gave him one simple task, pick out the rings and your suit. Everything else would be handled by Lucy and her group of female friends - _who were dying to plan a Natsu/Lucy wedding since they were all still in high school._

"I don't think so," Lucy said, then smiled as the waiter came by to drop off their drinks and take their orders. Once he left, Lucy added, "the girls are on top of everything."

"That's good," Natsu smiled, then took a sip from his soda. "I'm ready to marry ya already." They both laughed, then talked more about their plans for the ceremony and what would come afterwards.

* * *

Natsu shoved the index card into his pocket, confident he memorized everything he wanted to say in his vows. He wasn't one for words, but when he thought of Lucy he knew she deserved something great. That's why he spent so much time and effort working on them.

Looking at the clock on the wall, he realized soon he would need to leave the room to go to the altar. He glanced in the mirror to straighten his suit to the best of his abilities. It was a dark grey jacket and slacks with a deep red shirt underneath. He loved how the colors worked together, even if the white scarf around his neck somewhat threw off the vibe.

"What? Can't be bothered to wear a tie to your own wedding?" Gray chimed in when he entered the room.

Natsu shot him a glare, ready to tell him to shut up, but stopped when he noticed Gray's missing clothing. "Says the guy without any pants on." There was a playfulness to his tone. He was in a great mood despite his slight nervousness.

Gray glanced down, then muttered a curse. "I'll find them before this thing starts," he promised, already making a list of the places he went to between the car and there.

"Eh," Natsu shrugged. "Don't bother. It's not like none of them haven't seen you like that."

The wedding was small, only hosting their closest friends and family. Lucy expressed wanting to keep things simple. She didn't have to say it, but Natsu knew her reasons behind it. Her wedding to Jackal was huge and elaborate, and ultimately ended in failure. Although that wasn't the ceremony's fault, Lucy wanted to avoid anything big and fancy.

Natsu was fine by that. It helped keep himself calm. He was already working up a sweat. He couldn't help it. He was finally going to marry the woman he loved for years, and that alone scared him. He worried about screwing up, messing up a line during the ceremony or possibly tripping - _or accidentally setting something on fire_... It wouldn't be the first time.

But actually marrying Lucy? He wasn't scared at all.

He knew he loved her with all his heart, and nothing could change that. He was somewhat suspicious of Lucy's decision to personally see her old doctors right before the wedding. He had a feeling she was testing him, seeing if he really wanted to go through with the marriage if he heard from the doctor there was a chance Jackal was the father.

Scratch that. _Sperm donor._ Jackal would never be their son's father.

It didn't work. That baby could come out with blonde hair and yellow eyes and Natsu would still love the kid. Mason, as Lucy decided his name would be, was their child, no matter what. Natsu was just excited to have a new addition to the family, even if that meant a lack of sleep and some stressful times. He was willing to put in the effort if Lucy was willing to stay in his life.

"How ya feeling?" Gray asked when he stood behind Natsu, looking over his best friend in the mirror.

"Great," Natsu couldn't lie. His heart might be pounding a mile a minute, and his palms might be a tad bit sweaty, but he was ready to seal this deal.

"Awesome." Gray pulled out the rings, then said, "I'm gonna go give these to the ring bearer" - _which happened to be his son_ \- "then we gotta get out there."

"Sounds like a plan," Natsu fiddled with a random lock of pink hair that refused to stay in place before giving up. "I'll be ready."

Gray left, leaving Natsu alone once again. As he went over his vows once more, the door opened, revealing a man Natsu hadn't expected to see just yet. "Jude?"

Said man furrowed his brows, clearly not amused with being on a first name basis with Natsu. He pulled himself together before walking over to Natsu, face showing little emotion as he held out a hand. "I just wanted to give you and Lucy my..."

Just seemed to struggle as he finished, "my blessing."

Natsu almost laughed. _Almost_. As much as he wanted to rub it in the older man's face that his blessing wasn't needed to marry Lucy, he swallowed the urge down. "Thanks," Natsu forced out, reaching out to give his future father-in-law a firm handshake.

"And if you ever think about hurting her or her baby-" Jude started, but he was quickly cut off by the groom.

" _Our_ baby," Natsu corrected, hand tightening on Jude's in a crushing grip. "And I wouldn't dare think of hurting either one of them. They're my family." His smile seemed playful, but the fire in his eyes told a different story. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get ready before I go marry Lucy."

Natsu let go, a hint of amusement on his face when he saw Jude subtly shake out his sore hand. He wasn't going to point it out, but Jude's comment got him riled up. "With, or without your blessing," Natsu finished, not wanting Jude to think for a moment he needed such a trivial thing. It was the twenty-first century. Lucy was able to make up her mind for herself without needing her father's approval.

Jude muttered, "of course." Before he left, he added, "welcome to the family, Natsu. I'm sorry for how I treated you in the past."

Natsu blinked, a little stunned to actually hear an apology. Part of him thought he imagined it, but he was sure he heard it with his own ears. The man used to intimidate Natsu, but that was when he thought Natsu wasn't good enough for Lucy. Natsu felt more confident now knowing she returned his feelings, and now truly having Jude's blessing was somewhat of a shock. All those years ago he never thought he really had a shot with Lucy, but now he couldn't be happier to be proven wrong.

Natsu wasn't able to read through his vows again before the door opened once more. A man with red hair poked his head in before smiling. "They're ready for you, son."

Natsu looked up, smiling when he saw his own father. "Alright," he slipped the index card in his pocket, then took a deep breath. "I'm all fired up," he said to himself, letting the words flow through his body like a fire through dead grass, burning through him to make room for the start of his new adventure with Lucy always by his side.

A few minutes later he found himself at the altar. He stood next to an extremely short man named Makarov Dreyar. He was a family friend who just happened to be a licensed wedding officiant. Natsu felt comfortable keeping the ceremony as intimate as possible with only people they knew. It was why their friends Freed Justine was in charge of recording while Reedus Jonah took the photos.

Music started playing, so Natsu's eyes - _as well as the audience's eyes_ \- went towards the opening of the room. First to start walking down the aisle was Erza and Jellal. She had her hand wrapped around his arm the entire way. Once they were standing up by the altar, Juvia and Gajeel showed up by the opening of the room. They walked down in a similar manner, smiling as they took their places at the altar.

Gray and Levy showed up at the door next, then Levy wrapped a hand around Gray's arm as he escorted her down the aisle. By now Juvia was less worried over 'love rivals', knowing Gray and Levy were only doing their duties of best man and maid of honor, so she said nothing as the two made their way to the altar.

Gray stood beside Natsu while Levy took her place beside where Lucy would be standing soon. Next to come down the aisle was Gray's son, followed by his daughter, who was the flower girl. The little boy stood beside Gray while the little girl stood next to Levy.

A few seconds later, _she_ showed up.

Natsu felt his heart leap in his chest when he finally saw Lucy for the first time that day. She wore a light pink, flowy dress that came down to her feet. The straps were white, with a pink bow wrapped under her breasts to set upon her baby bump. They both discussed it, realizing it would be weird if she wore a white dress, especially after being married before and clearly being six months pregnant.

Her golden hair was pulled back into an updo, her makeup subtle, but enough to make her skin glow - _or maybe that was the pregnancy_. Natsu had a hard time telling. He barely held back his chuckle when he saw her take the first step towards him. He remembered her buying high heels for the ceremony, but currently her feet were adorned in a pair of silver flats. He guessed her feet were hurting, which wasn't uncommon lately.

Jude walked beside her, escorting her down the aisle. Lucy allowed him this small gesture, seeing as he wasn't involved with anything else. They refused to have him pay for the wedding, saying they wanted to do it on their own. Truly Lucy wanted her father to be there, but their relationship was still strained from the neglect he showed towards her for so long. Still, it was getting better slowly.

When Lucy finally stood beside Natsu he couldn't stop himself from saying, "you're so beautiful."

He didn't realize he said it out loud, or that everyone heard him, because all he could focus on was Lucy's brown eyes as they lit up. She smiled at him, cheeks flushed and fingers curling over her bouquet of lotus flowers as her other hand came out to grab his. "And you're pretty handsome yourself."

Natsu grinned, heart once again hammering in his chest, but his nerves faded away. He was ready for this, more ready than he'd ever been in his entire life.

The ceremony proceeded when Makarov began speaking. "Welcome family and friends. We are here today to celebrate the miracle of love, and to bear witness the union of Natsu Dragneel and Lucy Heartfilia in holy matrimony." He looked between the bride and groom. "Are you both willing to give your hand to the one whose heart you hold?"

Natsu and Lucy both glanced at each other, then looked at Makarov. "Absolutely," Lucy said.

At the same time, Natsu said, "of course!"

With that, Makarov asked, "who gives Lucy to be married to Natsu?"

Jude rose from his seat. He didn't hesitate to say, "I do." He sat back down after Makarov nodded.

With that out of the way, the real ceremony began. Before either of them knew it, it was time to say their vows. Natsu went first, pulling out his index card and clearing his throat before he began. The card was more there in case he stumbled, but by then the words were cemented in his heart, much like his love for Lucy.

"Lucy," he started, looking in her eyes and speaking loud enough so everyone could hear him. "We both know I'm not perfect. I have my issues, some everyone knows about, some only you know." The fingers holding her hand slightly trembled as he realized how vulnerable he felt in that moment.

"You helped me when I was at a low point in my life, and I can never thank you enough for that. You pulled me from the darkness, helped me see there was still a way to the light, and that was you. Lucy, you've always been like light to me. Bright, shining, something I thought I could never reach."

Natsu saw the way his words effected her. The blush spread, her eyes growing watery as his smile twisted. He was fighting off his own emotions, knowing he was a sucker if she started crying.

"You make me a better man than I am on my own. You motivate me to work harder to protect the future I have with you." He paused, feeling himself getting choked up. "I-I know things won't always be easy, and we still have a lot of work we need to do on ourselves and our relationship, but I know we can get through it if we work together, because you're the best partner in life anyone could ever ask for."

A tear finally rolled down Lucy's cheek, her grip tightening on his hand. "Anyone would be lucky to have you in their life, but I'm glad you chose me. I promise I will do everything in my power to make sure you and our child have the best life possible."

The way he said it, Lucy had no doubts the child would truly be his. He had so much time to think it through, but he was still standing in front of her, pouring his heart out to show how much she meant to him. And for a man who wasn't good with words, he was sure doing something to her heart.

"I love you Lucy, with all of my heart. Your smile is infectious, and your strength is inspiring. You have a kind soul and a gentleness about you that makes others feel safe and warm. You're my best friend, and I vow to always protect you, love you, and be faithful to you, until I draw my last breath."

Natsu felt his forehead press against hers. He didn't even notice when he moved so close to her. He was too busy getting lost in her beautiful brown eyes. In a whisper so only she could hear, he said, "but even death won't stop the way I feel about you, Luce."

Lucy was in tears at this point. Her vision blurring the longer Natsu spoke. He slowly pulled away from her, desperately wanting to kiss her but knowing it wasn't time yet. He took a half-step away from her, his hand never leaving hers as he stuffed the index card back in his pocket. He hadn't even looked at it once during the speech.

Lucy saw Makarov wipe a tear from his eye in her peripheral vision. He cleared his throat, then said, "Lucy. I understand you also prepared something."

She could only gawk at the short man for a second before saying, "h-how am I supposed to follow that?!"

A soft laugh broke out in the audience. It was obvious to her they thought she was funny, but now she was panicking. Lucy gulped, the pressure was on. She didn't bring anything to read from, words already memorized.

"N-Natsu," she sniffled, her voice quieter than she'd like it to be. Lucy gazed at the man she was about to marry. He held a soft smile, his green eyes soft and fixed only on her, as if nothing else existed in the world.

She committed herself to only focusing on him. It felt easier talking to Natsu alone, so for the time being, it was just the two of them.

"I used to dream of the day I would marry my prince charming. As a little girl I would plan my dream wedding with my mom. I already knew what type of man I wanted to marry. He would be strong, brave, and handsome. You're all those things." She paused, thumb rubbing against his skin before adding, "but I also wanted him to be calm, well-mannered and soft-spoken."

Lucy saw the little quirk in the corner of Natsu's mouth. He was amused she'd use those words considering he wasn't like that. "Although my reality turned out differently than my dream, I'm happy." Her grip on his hand tightened as she winked, "turns out I don't want a man like that anyways."

A few giggles sounded from the people watching, reminding Lucy they weren't alone. She didn't let that bother her, only caring about what Natsu thought. "You may not be a prince, but I'd much rather have my fiery dragon."

Natsu's small smile turned into a grin. He definitely liked being referred to as a dragon. "You're my best friend. You're the person I want to see when I wake up, and the person I want beside me when I fall asleep. You are the person I want to spend the rest of my life with."

Lucy swallowed, her heart beating quickly and her skin tingling. Natsu's eyes were growing wet as he tried to stay in control of his emotions, but Lucy knew he was close to crying. "You're understanding, compassionate, and full of optimism. I couldn't help but fall in love with you, but I don't just love you with my heart. My soul yearns to be with you, to stay by your side until death do us part."

Lucy felt her heart grow heavy as she said, "I honestly thought my life wasn't going anywhere for the longest time. I won't dwell on the past, because that's all it is. The past, and you are my future."

She placed a hand on her belly, bottom lip quivering. "You're _our_ future." That was what got Natsu to spill his first tear. He'd been feeling like he was forcing himself into her and her child's life, but to hear her say it out loud made that fear vanish. She accepted him into their lives.

"Natsu. I vow to be loyal to you, love you, care for you, without conditions. I vow to confide in you when I need someone to lean on, and to always be there to give you support and strength when you need it in return. We can get through anything, as long as we have each other."

Lucy blinked, realizing she had started crying again at some point. She prepared for this, knowing it was a possibility given their emotional roller coaster of a relationship. "Y-you are my one true love. I honestly never thought we'd make it to this point. Growing up with you I... I wanted to be with you, but life got in the way..."

She wouldn't allow herself to remember her past right now. Today was all about the start of their new life. "I only wish my mother was here to witness this. She always loved you. I know she would be happy to find out we ended up together."

Lucy gulped, feeling sweat form on the back of her neck. "I don't regret for a moment being your friend throughout the years. You gave me hope when I had none, and I treasure the memories we've made together, and the memories we are sure to create in our new life."

Lucy's hand traveled up, gripping onto Natsu's forearm. "I love you Natsu, now and forever. Thank you for not giving up on me." She smiled, knowing the tears she spilled were from joy. "I know I'll never regret giving you my heart, my body, my trust, and my soul. Thank you Natsu, for being you. I will love you until the day I die, and forever after that."

Natsu nodded, a few tears staining his cheek as he struggled to hold himself together. His lips were curved up to form a shaky smile. He barely heard when Makarov started talking again, his focus of Lucy's beautiful face.

"Natsu and Lucy, you have shared promises in our presence. Do you have the rings you wish to exchange?"

"Y-yes," Natsu nodded, turning to accept the ring from Gray. He'd already grabbed the two rings from his son in preparation. With the ring in hand, Natsu was instructed to repeat after Makarov as he moved the ring to the tip of Lucy's finger. He was ready, barely containing his excitement to finally make Lucy his wife.

He'd been wanting this since the first moment he realized he loved Lucy.

"I Natsu... Take you Lucy to be my wife... To live together, as friend and mate... And I will love you, as a person... I will respect you, as an equal... Sharing joy, as well as sorrow... Through triumph, as well as defeat... And I will keep you beside me, as long as we both shall live... I give you this ring as a symbol of our vows... And with all that I am, and all that I have... I honor you... With this ring, I thee wed."

Natsu slipped the ring onto her finger. It fit perfectly, looking almost just as lovely as she was. In his opinion nothing could be prettier than her.

Lucy took a moment to admire the view of Natsu's hand on hers before he pulled away. She looked past him to Gray, seeing the man holding a larger ring out for her to take. She accepted it, waiting for Makarov to start.

"Lucy, if you'll repeat after me."

She smiled, keeping the ring at the tip of his finger as she began, her eyes on his as she spoke. "I Lucy... Take you Natsu to be my husband... To live together, as friend and mate... And I will love you, as a person... I will respect you, as an equal... Sharing joy, as well as sorrow... Through triumph, as well as defeat... And I will keep you beside me, as long as we both shall live... I give you this ring as a symbol of our vows... And with all that I am, and all that I have... I honor you... With this ring, I thee wed."

The ring fit just right as she placed it on his finger. She gave his hand a squeeze before gazing up at him. It was almost time. Her breathing grew unsteady as she waited for the moment...

The moment they would be joined in matrimony. She couldn't wait, and judging by the fire in Natsu's eyes, he couldn't either.

Makarov cleared his throat before he announced, "we who have come together today have heard the willingness of Natsu Dragneel and Lucy Heartfilia to be joined in marriage. They have come of their free will and in our presence, have declared their love and commitment to each other."

Lucy looked from Natsu's face to see their friends and family. Everyone wore smiles, some watery, some shaky, but it was clear they approved of their union. Lucy turned back to look at Natsu, green eyes full of determination and love.

"They have given and received a ring as a symbol of their promises. Therefore, by the power vested in me by the laws of the state of Magnolia, I take great pride and pleasure as I declare them husband and wife."

Makarov looked at the groom, a large grin on his face as he said, "Natsu, you may now kiss your bride!"

Natsu didn't hesitate to grab her in his arms. After everything that was said, he was surprised he didn't accidentally knock them over with how fast he swooped in to place a kiss on her lips.

Both could hear applause and cheering, but they tuned it out as their eyes fluttered shut and their arms wrapped around each other. Lucy hummed against his mouth as Natsu's lips carefully squeezed over her bottom one. They were still in front of friends and family, so they kept the kiss as PG-13 as they could, even though they both wanted something a little more passionate and a little more on the rated R side.

Natsu pulled away first, a low growl escaping his throat when he saw Lucy swipe her tongue across her lips before they both leaned back. A dusty rose color filled both their cheeks as they smiled, knowing what was about to come next.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," Makarov started. "Let me introduce, for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Natsu Dragneel!"

Their friends and family cheered, someone even yelling "finally!" from the back. Natsu and Lucy let out a soft laugh, eyes locked on each other when they heard the music start playing again.

Natsu wrapped an arm around his new wife - _just thinking of her as his wife was enough to fill his heart with a warmth that could rival the heat of the sun_ , and escorted her down the aisle and to the exit. Next to follow was Gray and Levy, followed by the ring bearer and flower girl, then the rest of the groomsmen and bridesmaids.

When everyone made it outside of the room the wedding was held, they looked around, wondering were the newly married couple went. They weren't aware Natsu sneaked Lucy to the room he got dressed in so he could kiss her how he really wanted to.

Lucy had no protests as she stood between Natsu and the wall, his scorching lips on hers as his tongue worked to pry her mouth open. She gave him access, moaning when his wet muscle started massaging against hers. His hands were on her cheek and her back, only giving her gentle touches since he didn't want to mess up her outfit or hair... _yet._

They still had to consummate their marriage, and he was looking forward to it.

Natsu spent another few minutes kissing her, lips swollen and hearts hammering, but neither stopped themselves as they got lost in the feeling of their new spouse. "I love you," Natsu moaned as he came up for air before kissing her again, stealing her breath away.

She responded by threading her fingers through his hair, careful to keep his pink locks in their original condition so no one would know what they were up to. A few whimpers escaped her when he deepened the kiss, tongue swiping against hers to show how much he desired her. This was a kiss they were both craving, but definitely couldn't perform in front of everyone.

When the heated kiss finally ended they were both left breathless and flustered. Knowing smiles were shared on their way back to the reception hall where their friends and family were sure to be.

Natsu and Lucy were greeted with coy smiles, their secret exposed easily based of the dark flush on Lucy's cheeks and the swell to Natsu's lips. Everyone chose to stay quiet about it, letting them have their moment since it was their big day.

The newly married couple were whisked away to get photos taken with the wedding party. After countless poses they were ready to go back and enjoy the reception. Drinks were being served - _since Natsu felt comfortable enough being around alcohol as long as Lucy was nearby_ , so she stayed next to her new husband most of the night, only leaving occasionally when someone asked to talk to her or she had to go to the bathroom.

They decided to go with a more relaxed reception, not wanting to stick to traditions. They still shared the first dance, Lucy guiding Natsu while he tried his best not to step on her feet. They smiled, laughed, and even shared a kiss when the song finished.

Others joined the dance floor, but after the first dance Lucy was ready to sit down. Being pregnant had its disadvantages, mainly with swollen feet and frequent bathroom breaks. For a meal they went with a buffet style. It was easier this way seeing as Natsu's side of the family were big eaters. Plus it allowed everyone to get what they wanted without having to worry about if they changed their minds after ordering a few months ago when they sent out their RSVP's.

The reception went off without any snags. They mingled, ate, danced a few more songs, and enjoyed the party. They even had a fun surprise when they found out Natsu's boss, Gildarts, was actually the father of the AA meeting's leader, Cana. They had a quick talk about Natsu receiving his yellow chip for going six months without drinking before Gildarts told him to enjoy his honeymoon before he had to come back to work.

Natsu and Lucy had a little too much fun when it came to cutting the cake. They took a silly photo where Lucy held both cake cutters up to Natsu's throat, and he had fun smearing cake on her face, only to embarrass her when he licked it off in front of everyone.

They laughed, kissed, listened to a few toasts from the best man and maid of honor, then they had to say their goodbyes. Everyone saw them off to the limo - _even though Lucy thought the limo was a little much_ , and watched them as they left to drive to Hargeon. Luckily Natsu took a motion sickness pill before the ride, otherwise he probably would have puked.

After the long drive, they arrived at the port. Natsu and Lucy grabbed the luggage already loaded into the limo and headed to the boat. There they boarded with the other passengers on their way to a vacation spot known as Tenrou Island. It was their destination for their honeymoon since the resort there had a lot of amenities, one of which was a heated pool, which sounded great since it was late February.

The boat ride seemed to take forever, but they made it to the island as the sun was setting. After checking in they made their way to their room, thoroughly impressed by the place they would be spending the next few days.

After a quick shower and a change of clothing, Natsu and Lucy went to bed as man and wife. That night Natsu and Lucy consummated their marriage. Lucy was on all fours while Natsu thrust into her from behind. It was one of the more comfortable positions for Lucy since her belly got in the way when they tried missionary. Natsu loved this position too. It allowed him to go deeper and see her glorious ass at the same time as he fucked into his new wife's body.

Since Lucy was pregnant all her senses were in overdrive. Natsu was able to pull a few orgasms out of her before he finally met his end. He released inside her, feeling just as amazing as the first time he ever came inside her without a condom. He let out a grunt as he emptied himself, her pussy working to milk him for all he was worth.

Natsu was surely going to miss this. Now that they knew Lucy could get pregnant they were going to have to switch to condoms after they had the baby. Either that or birth control, but that conversation could wait for another day. Right now Natsu wanted to cuddle with his wife, enjoying the blissful sound of her panting as she regained her composure against his body.

They went to sleep that night muttering their love for each other, eyes falling closed as sleep took over. For the first time, they went to sleep as husband and wife, already knowing this was how the rest of their lives would be...

And welcoming every bit of it.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for your support! Every kudo, hit, and comment is appreciated! Shout out to Miraculous_kid for commenting!
> 
> Up next, Chapter Twenty-Two: Complications
> 
> This chapter is a bit longer than I intended. Oh well. What did you think? They're finally married! Yay! And they also found out why Lucy wasn't getting pregnant beforehand. It was just bad luck, then the doctor's 'help'. I know not all doctors are like that, but some do try to push their personal belief on their patients.
> 
> I remember when I first got on birth control I wanted the 'NuvaRing', but my doctor said he'd rather me be on 'Implanon'. I told him several times I didn't want that, but he 'assured' me it was the better option and actually put in a prescription for it. I ended up leaving with no birth control and making another appointment with a different doctor for another day who was more than happy to listen to what I actually wanted.
> 
> Anyways... There's three more chapters left! A regular one and two parts for the epilogue! I'm excited to finally finish this story. It will be the longest story I've completed so far, so I'm all fired up! (Yes I know I'm lame, no I'm not going to change)
> 
> If you follow me on Tumblr you already know I'm planning another multi-chapter story to take the place of this one. It will also be rated M for a ton of reasons. I can't give away too much, but I can say it will be a zombie apocalypse AU starring Natsu and Lucy. :) So I hope you check it out when I eventually start writing it.
> 
> As always let me know what you thought of this chapter? Are you happy or sad this story is coming to a close? Or are you completely indifferent? Any theories on how her delivery will go given the title's chapter?


	22. Complications

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me start out with a disclaimer. I have no experience with giving birth, and I don't have anyone I can ask about this type of birth, so I got all my information from the internet.

**Chapter Twenty-Two: Complications**

"You have got to be kidding me," Lucy groaned from her seat on the couch. Natsu had just walked in from his day at work, ready to greet his wife until he heard her displeased tone.

"Lucy?" He asked, coming around the corner to see Lucy with her phone to her ear and a paper in her hand.

"He has no right!" She glared down at the paper with a hatred he hadn't seen in her eyes for some time now.

Natsu decided not to interrupt her. She was a tad bit... _emotional_ lately. That was the best way he could describe her rapid mood swings. Being thirty-four weeks pregnant was taking a toll on Lucy's behavior.

Natsu slipped into the kitchen, already grabbing a tub of strawberry ice cream and a spoon for Lucy to eat when she was done with her phone call. It was his attempt to smooth over her mood before he spent time with her. He didn't want to accidentally catch her wrath caused by someone else.

"Whatever!" Lucy called from the other room. "It's not like it'll matter anyways!"

Natsu raised a brow, but said nothing as he scooped the ice cream into a bowl. He almost chuckled at himself. Who knew he would ever be scared of his pregnant wife?

It wasn't that he felt she would actually take her anger out on him, but he didn't want her to be in a sour mood when he hung out with her. He rather liked Lucy when she was in a good mood, so he wanted to keep her that way, even if it meant bribing her with a cold dessert.

She deserved the sweet treat anyway. It'd been months since she last cut herself. Her recovery was going great. She still attended counseling, just like he still attended AA meetings despite not taking a drop of alcohol since he quit.

Lucy was hanging up the phone as Natsu walked back into the living room. Before she could say anything she was greeted by a bowl of ice cream and a soft kiss to the temple. "Hey Luce. I'm home."

Her angry glare softened when she saw the hopeful look in his eyes. She already knew she was struggling with her emotions, so she did her best to keep herself calm when she was around Natsu. He didn't deserve the aftermath of her phone call. She accepted his bribe, digging in to soothe her newest frustration.

Natsu sat beside her, letting her eat her ice cream as he glanced down at the paper in her lap. His brows furrowed when he realized what it was. It was a letter from a lawyer's office stating Jackal was ready to file a 'Complaint to Establish Paternity' once Lucy's baby was born.

A growl tore from Natsu's throat when he thought of that bastard even knowing about Lucy's pregnancy. Before he could ask, Lucy said, "His father found out from my father. Apparently he left out a picture of the ultrasound we sent him and Mr. Tartaros found it. Now Jackal is trying to claim he's the dad." The longer Lucy talked the lower and darker her voice became.

The grip on her spoon tightened until her knuckles turned white. "It's just... It's just..." It sounded like she was about to blow a gasket, but out of nowhere she broke out into tears, "it's not f-fair!"

She dropped the bowl of ice cream and her spoon to the coffee table, then covered her face with her hands as she sobbed. Natsu cringed. He hated seeing Lucy cry, even more so when it was caused by her jerk of an ex-husband.

Natsu slowly wrapped his arms around her, testing the waters before putting any pressure on her. She didn't hesitate to lean into his embrace, hands coming down so she could press her face into his scarf.

"I-I don't w-want t-to lose h-him!" Lucy cried, hands twisting into Natsu's shirt. "Wh-why is this h-happening?"

Natsu closed his eyes, resting his chin on her head. "I don't know, but he won't get our son." That much Natsu was confident of. There was no way Jackal would ever get custody of Mason. He would be in prison for years. The soonest Jackal could get out prison, Mason would already be four years old. No judge would take him away from Lucy and himself.

Lucy's body racked with sobs as Natsu tried to console her. She pressed herself against him, trying to get as close as she could to seek out the comfort his presence provided.

"I won't let anyone take away our son," Natsu vowed, not only to her but himself as well. He wouldn't allow it. He didn't care if Jackal turned out to be the father, because he would never be more than a sperm donor. The best case scenario for Jackal was visitations, but that wasn't likely with his record of abuse and rape. Who knew what he'd do to Mason if he lost his temper around the boy.

Natsu growled at the thought. There was no way Jackal would ever lay eyes on their son. He'd fight tooth and nail to do everything in his power to make sure of it.

While Natsu was spiraling into anger, Lucy's mood was changing again. She pushed his scarf out of the way so she could place a kiss to his neck. Natsu immediately jerked, confused over the sudden change of mood. "Luce?"

"Shhh," she whispered before kissing him again, this time with her mouth open. That growl he emitted was enough to bring out some lecherous thoughts she had towards her husband, and she wanted to show him how much he affected her. She knew most of it was due to her hormones, but she didn't care. She didn't want to think about Jackal or a test, she just wanted to get lost in the feeling of arousal with Natsu. "I just want you..."

Natsu felt her hands wander to his pants. She released his button, then worked on the zipper. "Lucy, I don't think that's what you really want to do."

Despite his words, Lucy continued. Her tongue came out to swipe over his pulse point, feeling how quickly his heart was beating now that she was teasing him. "But it is," she assured, pants now unzipped and fingers reaching into his boxers.

She grasped his half-hard cock, giving it a soft stroke to elicit a moan from her husband. "I want to thank you for being so helpful these past few months..." She breathed against his skin, sending chills through his body. "Will you let me pleasure you?"

Natsu felt his nerves jolt at her words, his resolve crumbling instantly. He dropped his head back, letting it rest on the couch as he said, "Y-yes. Do whatever you want." He was completely at her mercy. In the back of his mind he knew they would need to discuss this situation with the paternity test later, but for now he enjoyed the feeling of Lucy's mouth on his neck and her hands on his growing cock.

Lucy sucked at his flesh as her fingers tightened on his arousal. Four more pumps was all it took for his erection to stand proudly against his body. The air around them seemed thin when she started stroking him. Pre-cum leaked from the head, so she dragged the pad of her finger against the tip before smearing it around the sensitive skin.

Natsu moaned, eyes screwed shut as he let her do whatever she wanted to his body. His hands were still around her, but his grip was loose as he surrendered to her will.

Lucy bit at his neck, causing his cock to surge in her hand. Biting was his weakness, and she knew it. She sucked harder on his tanned skin, making sure anyone who saw her mark would know he belonged to her. Natsu only groaned, breath coming out in huffs as she slid her hand over his throbbing cock.

One of Natsu's other weakness was dirty talk, especially if it was her initiating it, so she said, "I want to fuck you, _Natsu_..."

Natsu hissed when she sped up her hand, his cock leaking from his desire to fulfill her wish. Before he knew it Lucy was ripping herself away from his body so she could remove her pants. They were loose with no buttons or zippers, so she just had to pull them down. Natsu helped, leaning forward to help her get out of the offending material. Next to go was her panties, sliding them down her long legs until she stepped out of them.

Natsu shifted on the couch as he pulled his pants and boxers down to his ankles. When he leaned back in his seat he saw Lucy turning around. She slowly sat down as he held onto the base of his cock to ease into her.

Wet heat surrounded his cock in an instant. The moan that slipped past his parted lips was nothing compared to the whimper Lucy released. She was so sensitive, his cock easily satisfying the pulsing in her core as she sank onto him.

She remained there for a moment, letting herself simply enjoy the feeling of his cock spread her wide as Natsu placed searing kisses on her neck. Lucy whimpered when his hand came around, running between her thigh and her baby bump to reach his intended goal, her clit.

Natsu rubbed at the bundle of nerves, causing her to automatically clamp around his dick. She was so much more responsive than she used to be, and for that Natsu was grateful. For a while he thought it would be awkward making love to Lucy while she was pregnant, and admittedly there were sometimes it gets a little weird, but they worked around it until both of them were comfortable.

" _Naa-ahhh!_ " Lucy mewled when he lightly pinched at her little nub. She leaned back, pressing against his firm chest. While she was focused on his ministrations she didn't notice his other hand slipping under her shirt to make its way to her breasts. "F- _fuck!_ "

Natsu grinned as his fingers worked to please his wife. He ignored the paper sitting beside him, trying to mock him and all he was doing for his family. Jackal was out of his mind to think their son would belong to him. DNA meant nothing when it came to real love, and Natsu wouldn't let that bastard's feeble attempt at riling them up affect their lives.

"Do you like that, Luce?" Natsu asked just as his hips bucked, making a short thrust into her already dripping core.

"God yes!" She didn't try to conceal her response. Lucy arched her back, letting his devilish tongue lap at her neck while his fingers teased her clit and a nipple.

Lucy placed her hands on the couch, then started moving on her own accord. Her pussy squeezed him with every thrust, causing Natsu to moan and sweat as he got close to his release. Her being this horny was a double-edged sword. The sex was amazing, but it always ended too soon because he wasn't used to how strongly she reacted. Even after months he still couldn't get over how pleasurable it was fucking her in this condition.

Their pace increased until Lucy came undone on his cock, massaging the shaft with her inner walls. Natsu groaned, Lucy cried out, and then he released. He felt a little embarrassed climaxing so soon, but he couldn't help it. Lucy's body felt amazing, and she knew it. He could tell by the small smirk she tried to hide on her face and the flash in her eyes when she glanced at him. She knew exactly what she did to his body, and she looked damn proud of it.

The two cleaned up, Lucy heading to the master bathroom to grab a wet wipe while Natsu jumped in the shower. He needed one after getting off work anyway, so he figured he might as well get it out of the way.

Twenty minutes later the newlyweds were back on the couch, this time with their clothes on and feet propped up on the coffee table. Natsu's feet were up since he had a bad habit of it, and Lucy's were up because she was hit with another round of Braxton Hicks contractions.

After a glass of water and a bit of relaxing, they subsided. When she was better, Natsu grabbed the paper Jackal's new lawyer sent and placed it face down on the coffee table. "No matter what, he's our son. No one can change that, and you shouldn't let this stress you out. If he gets a court-ordered DNA test then so be it. It won't change a thing."

Lucy felt the tears welling up in her eyes, but she refused to shed them over this issue. "You're right... I'm just scared."

"No reason to be," Natsu shifted, allowing Lucy to lean back on the couch while he grabbed her feet to give her a foot massage. It always worked to calm her down. "I'm sticking around no matter what, and no one's gonna take Mason away from us. You and I are gonna be awesome parents," Natsu grinned, his sharp white teeth gleaming, "and that's all that matters!"

Lucy giggled, then rubbed at her eyes. "You're right," she whispered, allowing her fears to float to the back of her mind for now. In the mean time she focused on the way Natsu massaged her feet, working out the aches associated with pregnancy.

Natsu took a short break to turn the tv on, letting them watch it while he continued his massage. It wasn't long before Lucy was laughing along with him as an especially funny part came on, lulling them both into a state of bliss.

While they were thinking their biggest problem was Jackal and his stupid paternity test, they had no idea just what troubles really awaited them.

* * *

Natsu got home from work early April 17th. It was a Monday, but more importantly it was when Lucy was having another appointment to see if her little 'issue' was taken care of.

About a few months ago the doctor noticed Lucy's placenta wasn't shifting the way it should be. It was supposed to move upwards, but it was still underneath the baby. That resulted in her having 'placenta previa'. At first the doctor said it would be fine, and sometimes it takes a while longer to migrate further from her cervix, but as the due date drew near Lucy began to worry.

Today they would be finding out if it had moved yet, and if it hadn't they'd find out what their options were. Natsu had just enough time to catch a quick shower before it was time to go. Natsu drove since Lucy's belly got in the way of her driving. With his motion sickness pill popped and Lucy buckled up, they headed to the hospital.

Natsu distracted Lucy's worried thoughts by telling her about his time at work. Apparently Gildarts was getting a promotion, which would leave his position available. Natsu was proud to say he was getting a personal recommendation from Gildarts to take his place, but he wouldn't get his hopes up.

Still, Lucy was just as proud of him to hear that news. "I hope you get it," she said softly, hand on her belly as she felt for the baby to kick. It was hit or miss. Some days Mason would be wild, others he would be completely docile in her belly. Today was the latter, but she didn't let that trouble her.

They pulled into the hospital parking lot, then Natsu got the door for Lucy so she could climb out of the car. He made a comment about how adorable she looked waddling down the sidewalk, so she gave him a playful push and told him to zip it. He could tell she wasn't mad though, based on the smile she tried to hide behind her hand.

With an arm around her, they headed inside to check in. Ten minutes later Lucy was waddling to the examination room with Natsu right behind her. Unfortunately for them they received some slightly upsetting news.

"You're placenta is still covering your cervix."

"So," Lucy furrowed her brows, "what does that mean?"

The doctor looked between Natsu and Lucy, then said, "You'll be put on 'pelvic rest'," he looked at Natsu for this part, "that means no intercourse."

Natsu nodded. He could wait if it meant Lucy and the baby would be safe. The doctor turned back to Lucy, "and no vaginal exams for the rest of your pregnancy. When it comes time to deliver you'll need a c-section, otherwise you may bleed profusely when the cervix dilates."

Lucy pressed her thighs together. She definitely didn't want that. A c-section didn't sound all that bad. She already had a lot of scars on her body. At least this one would be from something good.

"You're estimated at thirty-four weeks," the doctor said as he looked over his notes, "just to be safe we're going to be giving you corticosteroids to speed up your baby's lung development. It will also fight off any other complications in case he ends up being premature. That's one of the risks of placenta previa."

Lucy felt the air leave her lungs, but before she could panic, she felt Natsu hold her hand. "Will he be alright?"

The doctor nodded. "As long as there's no bleeding the baby should be fine. This is just a precautionary measure. As long as Lucy and the baby continue to do well, she won't need to deliver right away, but we will need to schedule a c-section when you're at thirty-seven weeks. Otherwise the risks of heavy bleeding increase after that window. You may possibly need a blood transfusion if it gets bad enough, but I think Lucy should be fine if she takes it easy."

Natsu nodded, smiling when he looked at his wife. "She's pretty tough. I think she can handle it."

Lucy felt her lips curve into a smile. Her heart was pounding quickly, but Natsu's confidence helped her gain the courage needed to be strong. "Okay. Let's do this."

The c-section was scheduled for Friday, May 5th. She would be right around her thirty-seven week mark. If she could make it to then their baby would be born 'early term', but the need for special care was reduced compared to being born earlier. Plus with the single course of corticosteroids their baby was likely to be more developed than he would be if there was no additional medications involved.

Natsu and Lucy headed back to the house, Lucy with a hand on her belly, smiling because Mason was finally kicking that day, and Natsu with a grin on his face because Lucy looked relaxed despite the news about her condition.

Still, they decided to stay positive for Mason's sake. Stress wasn't good for the baby, so Natsu did everything he could to make sure Lucy was comfortable and out of harm's way.

They went about their normal lives, with only a few changes - _like no sex and making sure Lucy was more careful with her body_. It wasn't that hard considering the reward was a healthy baby boy, making both of them work as a team to get through it.

Before either of them knew it, it was already the beginning of May. Lucy's scheduled c-section was in less than a week, and they were ready to bring Mason into the world.

Well, as ready as they could be.

No matter how many baby books they read or documentaries Lucy forced them to watch, they would never truly be ready for how difficult it was raising a child. That's why they had Juvia and Gray giving them advice recently. They'd been through the baby thing twice - _and Juvia was currently pregnant with their third one now_ , so they had the experience Natsu and Lucy needed.

They went to bed Tuesday night with no fears in mind. They kissed, cuddled, then fell asleep in each other's arms like always. Natsu was already in a deep sleep when he heard the scream. It was followed by his body shaking from a force grabbing onto his arm.

"N-Natsu! Wake up!"

Natsu's eyes snapped open. He immediately sat up, recognizing Lucy's screams. It'd been over two months since she last woke up screaming in the middle of the night, but that did nothing to calm himself down as he searched for his wife.

The light was already turned on. Lucy sat up beside him, but her face was contorted in pain. Her eyes were flooded with tears, her mouth twisted as she screamed something, but he couldn't hear anything she said once he saw that red color.

Blood.

Blood stained the sheets, as well as her hands and clothing. He looked down, seeing it was accumulating from between her legs. Natsu didn't think about it. He just acted.

Natsu rushed out of bed, wrapping a blanket around Lucy as he picked her up. He was careful to not crush her belly as he carried her to the front door. When he reached the door, he set her down as he fumbled with the keys handing on the hook.

"I'll be right back!" Natsu wasn't sure if he said it or not, his mind already zoning in and out as panic set in. He had no idea what he was supposed to do, so he went with the only thing running through his mind.

_'Get Lucy to the hospital.'_

When the front door and backseat door to their car was opened he went back to grab Lucy. He brought her to the car, then gently put her in the backseat to give her room to lay down. The blankets were started to get bloody too, but he couldn't let that distract him.

He closed the door, barely remembering to lock it before he ran to the car. In less than thirty seconds he was reversing out of their driveway and speeding towards the hospital. They weren't that far away from it, and it was so late at night there was hardly any traffic. Natsu was just glad he wasn't pulled over on his way to the hospital. He didn't know if he'd be able to stop.

Natsu pulled into the emergency drop-off. As much as he wanted to stay with her at all times, he knew he had to deal with the car or else it would get towed. He helped a nurse place Lucy in a wheelchair before he drove a little too quickly to a parking spot.

On his way to the emergency room he realized he just drove that far without needing any medication. He guessed the shock was enough to keep him from getting sick, but now that he saw the drops of blood on the ground where he dropped Lucy off he could feel his stomach churning.

_'Please let her be alright.'_

Tears streamed down his face by the time he entered the building. A nurse was already waiting for him by the desk, ready to escort him to the operating room. The nurse asked him questions, which he answered to the best of his ability given his shocked state of mind.

"L-Lucy Heartfilia... Sh-she's eight a-and a half months pregnant... Umm, placenta something... Uhh," Natsu racked his brain as they rushed down a hall.

"Placenta previa?" The nurse asked as they rounded a corner.

"Yes!" Natsu stumbled a bit, only now realizing he was barefooted and shirtless. The only thing covering his body was his pajama pants, but that was the least of his worries. "Where's Lucy?"

"She's right in here," the nurse opened a door, then told him to scrub up.

With shaky hands Natsu did as he was told. When the nurse deemed him clean enough he was put in some blue scrubs, as well as a surgical mask, hat, gloves, and some plastic over his bare feet. Normally the dad would be allowed to wear these over his normal clothing, but since Natsu only had his pajama pants on he was forced to use them as his only clothing.

When Natsu was allowed to go into the room Lucy was in he had to hold back his gasp. Lucy was already in a bed, a sheet was being hung between her face and her belly, while a nurse was hooking her up with a breathing tube for her nose.

Natsu quickly went to her side, grabbing her hand and gaining her attention. She looked panicked, but slowly that faded as more tears filled her eyes.

"Hey," Natsu said as calmly as he could, "it's okay. You made it. Everything will be fine now." He remembered reading the dad was supposed to act as the support system for the mom. That meant he had to do everything he could to keep her calm.

Natsu stole a peek over the curtain to see they hadn't made the incision yet. He saw them preparing their utensils to use for the operation, as well as Lucy's doctor entering. A wave of relief hit him once he saw their doctor's face. Well, part of his face seeing as most of it was covered by the surgical mask.

The doctor quickly went to Natsu, asking, "Have you two changed any plans about after care since we last spoke?"

Natsu shook his head, glad the doctor already knew their wishes. It would make things easier since he wouldn't have to answer constant questions while he was supposed to be comforting Lucy.

"Very well. We will begin soon."

Soon was right. In less than two minutes the doctor was making the incision. Lucy was numbed up so she didn't feel any pain, however she did feel pressure, and it was enough to freak her out. Natsu stayed close to her face, whispering how strong she was and how proud he was of her. "You're doing great," Natsu smiled, only realizing a little too late she couldn't see his mouth.

Despite his calm demeanor, Natsu was freaking out himself. Whenever he would look at the ground he saw blood dripping. He remembered reading that a little blood was okay, but it still scared him. He hoped everything worked out.

Natsu pressed his forehead against hers, feeling the sweat coating her skin. "I love you Lucy. You're doing so awesome," Natsu hoped his words were comforting her.

Lucy looked like she was about to say something, but stopped when they both heard crying. Their eyes widened, more tears surfacing as they realized that crying was from their son.

"You did it, Luce," Natsu felt his chest tighten the longer he heard those cries. He never thought he'd be so effected, but he was. "You got through it!"

"We're removing the placenta now," their doctor said behind the curtain.

Natsu kept his forehead pressed to Lucy's. "Do you want me to stay here or check on Mason?"

Lucy weakly said, "Mason."

Natsu nodded, understanding her wants. He stood up, avoiding looking at her open belly, and peering over the curtain where he saw some nurses cleaning off a baby.

He gulped, hands shaky and heart thrumming as he walked over to the area. A nurse saw him approaching and moved out of the way so he could see the baby. The crying didn't stop as they wiped his skin off and gave him a few shots. Natsu's eyes landed on the baby's face, seeing it scrunched up as it squirmed away from their touches.

All the preparing they did didn't prepare Natsu for this moment. He didn't know what he was supposed to do. Does he wait until their done? Does he take a picture? _'Don't have a camera...'_ Natsu thought, realizing he had virtually nothing to his name right now.

A nurse swaddled the little boy when they were done with their tests, then told Natsu to follow her. Natsu freaked out for a moment, not wanting to be separated from Lucy but also not wanting to be separated from Mason.

The nurse seemed to sense his distress. "Your wife is being stitched up right now."

It was then Natsu remembered it took about forty-five minutes to get stitched up, not counting whatever they had to do to fix her excess bleeding between her legs.

"Now, if you'll follow me," the nurse said, the baby in her arms. She started walking, so Natsu started following. He had no idea Lucy was already closing her eyes, thankful their baby was born without serious complications. She was prepared for Natsu leaving, even if she didn't like the idea. It was better for at least one of them to be with the baby.

Natsu was brought to another room. There was a bed where the nurse pointed at. "Go ahead and take off your shirt."

Natsu raised a brow. "Why?"

"Your doctor said your wife wanted skin to skin contact. Since she's busy at the moment you get to do it. Now, take off your shirt and lay down." The baby continued to cry, little lungs gasping as he screamed.

Hesitantly, Natsu took the shirt, mask, and hat off before laying down in the bed. The baby was brought over to him where he was unwrapped from the blanket so his skin could be in direct contact with Natsu's skin. He kept crying, though it stopped for a moment as the baby squirmed against the warm surface of Natsu's chest.

"You'll stay in here while your wife gets stitched up," the nurse said, placing the blanket over the baby's body to keep his back warm.

Natsu slowly raised his hands up. "Can... can I touch him?"

"Of course," the nurse smiled. "It's encouraged."

He nodded, then looked back down at the crying baby. He looked so fragile, Natsu was worried he may accidentally hurt him. Still, if it was encouraged... His warm hands gently rested on either side of the baby, feeling just how small and frail he really was. Natsu tried to remember when he held Gray's newborn babies, but this felt so different.

Natsu's thumb ran carefully over the baby's cheek, feeling just how soft he really was. The baby's cries softened as it got stimulation. Natsu couldn't stop the tears that flowed when that happened. He swallowed thickly, his other hand barely rubbing on the baby's back. Mason stopped crying then, his squirming ending as well.

Natsu's watery smile widened as he looked down at his baby boy. Mason had yet to open his eyes, but that was normal for a newborn. Natsu just enjoyed the peaceful lull that seemed to take over the recovery room.

Natsu completely forgot there was a nurse in the room, ready to check the baby's vitals in a little bit. He was too busy focusing on Mason's face. "You're perfect," he whispered, applying the tiniest bit of pressure to simulate a hug. "I love you, Mason."

His little boy was perfect. Everything from his pale skin, to his light blond hair. Mason was healthy, beautiful, and more precious than Natsu could have ever imagined. "I love you," he said again, feeling his heart fill with a warmth he'd never felt before. The love he felt for this little boy was completely different from what he felt for Lucy. He couldn't even describe it... It was just different, but so pure. He felt like he would give anything for this boy, even his life if he had to.

"I promise I'll protect you," Natsu vowed, thumb continuing to trace over his little boy's soft cheek. "I'll teach you all kinds of things, and so will Lucy." Natsu's vision blurred when he said his wife's name out loud. He really wanted her to be here for this moment, but he knew she had to get fixed up first.

"I pr-promise we'll be the best parents. I promise I'll do everything I can t-to give you a gr-great l-life," Natsu felt himself getting choked up, but he didn't mind.

Mason deserved the very best, and Natsu intended on making that happen.

**10 Hours Later**

Currently, Natsu was sitting in a chair, holding his baby boy. Lucy was fast asleep in the hospital bed next to him. She had a long day. Her recovery took longer than usual due to the bleeding she did before the c-section, but now she was feeling better. She said she was just glad they didn't have to do a blood transfusion or a hysterectomy, which were possibilities given her status.

It was two in the afternoon. Nurses and doctors came in every so often to check on baby Mason. The doctor said he was healthy considering he was born a few weeks early, easing Natsu and Lucy's worries about having a premature baby.

Their friends and family shuffled in and out throughout the day. Natsu finally made a call to his dad a few hours after Mason was born, then called his boss to say he wouldn't be in to work that day... Or the next few weeks while Lucy recovered. Luckily his father brought him a change of clothes, as well as swung by their house to grab their baby bag they packed for Mason.

Right now it was just Natsu, Lucy, and Mason in the room. He enjoyed the peace and quiet after the hectic morning. Natsu smiled at his baby. Mason Igneel Dragneel, born May 3rd at 3:54 AM, 6lb 8oz, 19.25 inches. He was beautiful. He had a head of blond hair, but that didn't matter to Natsu, because he was perfect and healthy. Most importantly, Mason was his son, biological or not.

Natsu couldn't see his eyes, because Mason had been sleeping most of the day. Natsu was told newborns sleep a lot, so he didn't worry. The baby was wrapped in a fuzzy blue blanket, with a matching blue cap on his head. Natsu decided that his second favorite color would be blue, first being red of course.

His baby boy yawned, then tucked his chin. Natsu planted a soft kiss on Mason's forehead, thinking there couldn't be anything more amazing than him. He swore in that moment to love, protect, and cherish his son forever. Mason was now his everything, along with Lucy.

Natsu planted another kiss to his son's forehead, hoping it would form a love thought. He had a silly theory about it. When he kissed a forehead, he was planting a seed. After planting one it would take root, and grow into a love thought, letting the person know you loved them. Of course he would never tell anyone about his silly theory. It was a little embarrassing, but he was fine with thinking about it.

Lucy let out a groggy sound as she woke up. She blinked, taking in the sight of Natsu holding Mason in the chair beside her. His warm smile was infectious. "Hey Luce. You sleep well?" He kept his voice quiet, not wanting to wake his son.

She closed her eyes, nodding as she said, "Yeah." When she opened her eyes again, Natsu was stretching out one of his hands towards her while keeping the other secured around the baby.

Lucy grasped his hand, "I'm so happy."

Natsu couldn't help but agree. "Me too." Their eyes softened as they looked down at their son. This little baby was theirs, to cherish, raise, protect, and love for the rest of their lives.

Natsu looked back at Lucy. "We did good," he said, not a doubt in his mind.

"We did," she nodded. "Do you want to sit up here with me?"

Natsu grinned. "Can I?"

"Sure."

Lucy carefully scooted out of the way. She had to be mindful of her stitches. She hurt, but it was bearable if it meant being closer to the two most important men in her life. Well... Man and _little man_... Regardless of their titles, they were her everything.

Natsu slowly rose to his feet, then handed Mason over to his mother. She was the only one Natsu wasn't reluctant to hand him over to. Everyone else Natsu had to force himself to let go of his son.

With Mason cradled in her arms, Natsu slipped onto the hospital bed. It would be a while until a nurse would be back to check on them, so they could enjoy the closeness while it lasted.

Being together like that, surrounded by nothing but love, everything just felt right. This was what was missing from Natsu's life for so long. Sure he had family, but he wanted his own family, with Lucy.

And now he got it, and he couldn't be happier.

"I love you both," Natsu whispered as he snuggled closer to Lucy. "I'm so glad things worked out like this."

Lucy pressed a kiss to Natsu's temple. "I love you two, too."

Natsu chucked. "Ha... Tutu." That earned a small giggle from Lucy. "I think we make a pretty awesome team."

"I'm inclined to agree," Lucy propped their son up so Natsu could bring a hand closer and stroke a thumb over his cheek. "You know it's going to be hard when we take him home..."

"Oh I know," Natsu already anticipated the late nights, the crying, the dirty diapers, the feedings... It was going to be rough. "I'm ready!"

Mason squirmed in Lucy's arms from Natsu's voice. "Oops," he carefully brushed his fingers over his son's blond hair to get him to calm down. It seemed to work, the baby settling back in his mother's arms.

Lucy looked to Natsu, "I'm surprised."

"Surprised?" Natsu asked, raising a brow.

Lucy giggled. "I thought for sure you'd say, 'I'm all fired up now'."

Natsu's chest vibrated as he held back a laugh. "My bad," he said, leaning in to give Lucy a kiss to her cheek. "I'm all fired up now!"

Mason squirmed again, this time his mouth opening and closing a few times. "Looks like someone's hungry," Natsu commented before shifting a little away to give Lucy room.

Natsu helped untie her hospital gown while she moved Mason closer to her nipple to feed him. He latched on easily, much to Lucy's relief. She read sometimes it didn't work out the first time, but Mason seemed to be getting the hang of it.

While Lucy fed their son, Natsu rested his head on her shoulder. He couldn't help but think everything worked out in the end. All their struggles, their hardships, their loneliness, all led up to this.

As Lucy hummed to Mason, Natsu mumbled, "Everything's perfectly imperfect."

But they didn't mind. It was the right match for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your continued support. Everyone who read this, bookmarked it, subscribed to it, or gave it a kudo, I appreciate it. Also thank you for the people who commented: Miraculous_kid, and E._.Otaku!
> 
> Up next, Chapter Twenty-Three: Perfectly Imperfect (Epilogue Part One)
> 
> This has been a crazy ride so far. At this time I'd like to ask if anyone has any questions they'd like addressed in the final two chapters to ask them now. I want to tie off all the loose ends, so now would be the time to let me know if you have any concerns that would be related to the epilogue before I finish it. Also, if anyone is interested, Mason's biological father will be revealed in the first part of the epilogue.
> 
> Keep in mind this story will have a happy ending! There's still a few more things that'll be thrown in!
> 
> Let me know what you thought of this chapter. :) The epilogue is mostly written, I'm just going to wait a bit to see if anyone has anything they want addressed in the final chapters, so here's your chance. :)


	23. Perfectly Imperfect (Epilogue- Part One)

**Chapter Twenty-Three: Perfectly Imperfect (Epilogue- Part One)**

"Mommy, Mommy, Mommy!" Mason ran into the house, shirt soaking wet and a little dirt smudged on his face.

Lucy glanced down at her son. She was in the middle of cooking dinner, but she stopped to give him some attention. "What happened?"

"I was chasing Wendy and I fell," the five year old boy yelled, brown eyes growing watery as he held out the ends of his shirt. "And now I'm dirty!"

His mother giggled, then patted his head of blond hair. "Why were you chasing Wendy?"

"Because she wouldn't let me have the ball!"

Lucy raised a brow. "You mean the ball we gave _her_ for her birthday last month?"

Mason jutted out his bottom lip as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Maybe..."

"No maybe's," Lucy placed two hands on her son's shoulders, then spun him towards the door. "Go change, then apologize to Wendy for chasing her."

"But Mooooom," he whined, clearly not satisfied with that outcome.

"No buts mister, or else she'll get your dessert tonight."

Mason's eyes widened at the threat. "Wendy!" He quickly ran out of the kitchen to where he came from. "I'm sorry!"

Lucy laughed, glad her empty promise worked. She turned her attention back towards the stove. It was getting close to five, so Natsu would be home soon. She wanted to have dinner ready for when he arrived.

As she finished cooking, she heard footsteps throughout the house. "Ahhh!" Wendy yelled as she rounded a corner. "Mom! Mason's tryin' to cut my hair!" The twelve year old girl with long blue hair ran behind Lucy for protection.

Just at that moment, Mason came running up, a pair of safety scissors in his hand. "No I wasn't! I was just gonna give you a trim!"

Wendy let out an 'eep', then clutched Lucy's shirt. "Mom! Make him stop!"

"Mason!" Lucy scolded, causing the little boy to drop the scissors. "What did I say about running with scissors? Or terrorizing your sister? Or changing out of your dirty clothes?" She added when she saw he was still in his wet shirt.

"Sorry Mom..." Mason looked down at the floor, a little ashamed of himself.

"Don't say sorry to me," Lucy said, stepping out of the way so he could see Wendy. "Apologize to her."

"Sorry Wendy," he said, sounding a little authentic. "I was just tryin' to have some fun."

Before Wendy could say anything, Lucy placed a hand to her forehead, "And both of you, please stop saying _tryin'_ , it's _trying_. I swear your dad's grammar is a bad influence on you two sometimes."

"Oops," Wendy giggled when she realized she made the same mistake. "Sorry Mom."

"Yeah, sorry," Mason added.

Lucy sighed. "Just go get cleaned up for dinner. Your dad will be home soon."

"Okay!" They both said as they ran out of the kitchen, leaving Lucy to pick up the scissors herself. Luckily she wasn't too far along that she couldn't bend over.

"Those two," Lucy smiled to herself as she set the scissors on the counter before returning to the food.

She was just about done when she heard the front door unlock, followed by Natsu's voice calling out, " _Luuuucy!_ I'm home!"

She giggled to herself, knowing he must be in a good mood because he was acting especially dorky today. A few heartbeats later he was entering the kitchen, a huge smile on his face as he wrapped his wife up in a hug. "I missed you!"

Lucy squirmed when his pink hair tickled her cheek. "You just saw me this morning."

"Not you," Natsu pretended to sound offended, but she could see the gleam in his green eyes. He lowered himself until he was on his knees, then lifted Lucy's shirt to reveal a slight bump. "I was talkin' to Natalie!"

Lucy groaned. "If you keep that up the kids will think it's normal talking like that. I caught both of them today using the word _tryin'_."

Natsu lifted himself up, allowing Lucy to put her shirt back down. "I don't see what the problem is," he said, but the coy smile on his face gave him away. "As long as you know what they mean it's fine, right?"

"Wrong," Lucy wagged a finger at him. "And you know this."

Natsu stared at her finger for three seconds before opening his mouth to suck the digit in. She screamed, pulling her now wet finger away from his mouth. "What'd you do that for?!" She dried her finger on the towel hanging by the stove while glaring at him.

"Felt like it," he grinned. He really didn't have any other explanation. "How was your day?" Natsu asked, changing the subject so she couldn't say more about his weird behavior.

Lucy was about to protest and get back to her finger issue, but she decided to drop it. Natsu was just being himself, and that's what she loved about him. "It was good. Two of the women found jobs, so hopefully they can transition well."

She was referring to the women at the shelter. Lucy volunteered there three times a week when Mason and Wendy were in school. She got bored easily, and used that time to do some good. She'd volunteer more, but then she wouldn't have time to write.

Natsu nodded, "That's awesome." He was proud of the work Lucy was doing. She worked with helping women on interviews and résumé to get jobs. She was great at it, and her warm personality helped go a long way with it. The women trusted her, which was key when dealing with previously abused women.

"I think so," Lucy said before returning her attention to the food. "How was your day?" She checked the temperature of the whole chicken in the oven while she waited for an answer. The blast of heat felt icky, especially since it was early May and the weather was already getting warm outside.

"Great," Natsu grinned from ear to ear. "You know that supervisor job that just opened up?"

"Yeah?" Lucy said, recalling him telling her about how Gildarts was getting another promotion, leaving his spot vacant. Natsu got the last job Gildarts had, so he was eager to try to get this one too.

"I got it!" Natsu barely got the words out before Lucy wrapped him in a hug. "That's awesome!"

"I know!" He hugged her back, excited she was happy with the news. The money would help, especially when they would have a fifth mouth to feed in a few months. Lucy was seventeen weeks pregnant with a baby girl.

She wasn't showing nearly as much as she was when she was pregnant with Mason, but the doctor said Natalie, which was going to be her name, was as healthy as she needed to be right now. For now it looked like Lucy just ate a little too much food. If someone didn't know better they would never guess she was pregnant.

"Daddy!" Two voices called out.

Natsu's attention snapped over to the two new bodies joining the hug, one pair of arms wrapped around his waist while the other pair was wrapped around his thigh.

"Hi kids!" Natsu chuckled, slowly letting go of Lucy to give them his focus. "How was school today?"

"Boring!" Mason yelled.

"It was good," Wendy said a little more quietly.

Natsu didn't hesitate to ruffle both of their hair, laughing harder when they tried to get him to stop. He leaned down, wrapping an arm around both their waists before lifting them into the air. "I'm gonna kidnap the kids for a second," he said as he left the kitchen, knowing she needed space in order to finish cooking.

Lucy held back her giggles. Natsu was so great with their children. It was hard to tell one of them wasn't biologically his.

Yes, they ended up taking the DNA test for Mason. Neither Natsu or Lucy wanted to, but about two months after he was born, Jackal's lawyer sent a court-ordered DNA test. They had to comply, so they did. Lucy remembered crying when she brought Mason to the facility that swabbed the inside of his cheek for his DNA. She didn't want to know, and neither did Natsu.

Still, now that it would be legal, he figured he might as well find out. He knew it wouldn't change how he felt about Mason. The boy was his son no matter what some stupid test said. That's why he didn't hesitate when it came to signing the birth certificate. Mason would always be his son. He did however see the benefit of knowing now, since Lucy would have to tell him whether or not Mason was technically Jackal's offspring after she got the results back.

After impatiently waiting about a week, Lucy got the results. She received the email before the actual mail caught up. After typing in the username and password assigned to her son's case, she opened the results.

Tears of joy flooded her eyes when she saw there was a 0% chance Jackal was the father of Mason. The blond hair on his head was passed down from Lucy's genes, nothing more.

She expected Natsu to react differently to the news, but he seemed calm with the results. He told her, "I already knew he was mine before the test. This doesn't make a difference." He said it with a smile and a kiss to Lucy's lips. "And if Jackal was the biological father it wouldn't make a difference either, Luce. Mason's our kid, no matter what."

Natsu was happy they wouldn't have to deal with some drawn out custody battle when Jackal was eventually released from prison though. This made things easier. Plus he couldn't resist making the joke, "My swimmers were all fired up!"

The kid that wasn't biologically Natsu's? Well that would be Wendy. She was an adorable ten year old girl when they met her two years ago. They wanted to expand their family, but they wanted to adopt this time. It only took one meeting with Wendy for them to know she was perfect. She'd been raised at the orphanage most of her life, and every year she grew older, her chances of being adopted decreased.

Natsu and Lucy didn't care what her age was. They saw she was a bright young girl who had a lot of potential if given the right amount of love and attention, so they did what they had to in order to adopt her. She integrated well into their lives, especially since Natsu was adopted as well.

When the adoption was finalized they had a party, inviting all of their friends to celebrate the new member to their family. Mason was three at the time, but understood quickly that Wendy was his new big sister. The little boy welcomed her with open arms, and a tug to her pigtail.

Yup. The little boy definitely treated her like a sister from day one. With the new addition to their family, they felt more whole than before. That was until a few months ago when Lucy found out she was pregnant.

It wasn't that much of a shock to them. They'd been off birth control for about a year, deciding that 'if it happens, it'll happen'. After a while she finally got pregnant, which is where Natalie would come in. They already discussed it, deciding Lucy would get her tubes tied after having Natalie. Three kids was more than enough, and if they changed their mind later they could always adopt again.

"Dinner time!" Lucy called out after setting the table. She started making everyone's plates as her two kids came running in.

"This smells great!" Mason shouted as he sniffed the spices Lucy sprinkled on the chicken. He seemed to share the same cravings for spicy food as his father. Wendy was more like her, liking things with a little spice, but not overly so.

The two kids looked washed up. Mason even had a fresh shirt on. Lucy was about to ask where their father was, but stopped when she saw him strolling in. He had a clean set of clothes on, but judging by the rust on his neck, he hadn't showered yet. Lucy was fine with that, as long as he didn't smell bad.

"This looks awesome," Natsu said before stabbing a piece of chicken with a fork. He dipped it into Lucy's homemade hot sauce before shoving it in his mouth. "Ahhh, it tastes good too!"

"Right?!" Mason copied his father, ungracefully shoving his food into his mouth in the same manner. Not only did he share his love for spicy food, he also had Natsu's boyish smile. The hair and eye color might belong to Lucy, but his face was structured just like Natsu's was at that age.

The two girls shook their heads at their behavior, then began eating. "So Wendy, what'd you learn in school today?"

Wendy swallowed her mouthful of corn before speaking. "I learned group projects are a joke."

Lucy couldn't agree more. "Did you get stuck doing all the work?"

"I did," Wendy sighed. "I just don't want to get a bad grade because they're lazy."

"I understand," Lucy knew all too well how that went. She sent a glare at Natsu, who immediately knew what memory she was thinking about.

Natsu gulped, shrinking down in his chair. He may or may not have been guilty of doing little to nothing on some group projects he was assigned to with Lucy when they were in high school. In his defense, Lucy was really smart... He thought she could handle it on her own. He apologized later, but it hardly made up for the burden of doing all the work by herself.

"I really wish I could give you good advice," Lucy started. "You can always try to talk to the teacher, or see if they can switch you to another group."

"I'll try that," Wendy said before grabbing her glass of water.

"You could try beatin' them up," Natsu suggested, only to get scolded by Lucy a second later. "Uhh, oh... My bad. You could try _beating_ them up."

Lucy dragged her palm against her face. He clearly missed the whole point. Thankfully Wendy had some sense, saying, "I think I'll try Mom's way first..."

"Suit yourself," Natsu shrugged, then proceeded to stuff his face once more, earning a giggle from Mason before he mimicked his dad.

Lucy could only laugh as she continued to eat. This was her new life, and she wouldn't trade it for the world.

* * *

"Is everything ready for the birthday party tomorrow?" Natsu asked when he stepped out of the shower. Steam pooled around him as he dried his pink locks.

Lucy glanced up at him, toothbrush hanging from her mouth as she took in the sight. She choked a little when she saw the firm muscles and taut chest of her husband. He always had a way of making her mouth water and the apex of her legs pulse without trying.

She stared at him, mouth slightly parted as her eyes raked over that sun-kissed skin. She just wanted to lean in and lick his-

"Luce?" Natsu asked, startling her out of her daydream.

"Oh, umm," she realized she had no idea what he was talking about. "What?"

He merely chuckled before hooking his thumbs around the towel covering his lower half. "If you want a better look, all you gotta do is ask." He pulled, towel dropping to the floor to reveal his toned thighs and impressive cock. The attention she provided was enough to arouse him, his shaft twitching as it grew before her very eyes.

Lucy squeezed her thighs together, then went to speak. She was going to deny her desires, saying he was full of himself, but she stopped when she tasted the minty flavor of her toothpaste.

Embarrassed, she spit out the toothpaste and rinsed out her mouth. When she went back to look at Natsu, fully prepared to tell him he was overly confident, she stopped. Standing before her was her husband, large hand holding onto his thick cock as he stroked himself.

"How about it Luce?" He squeezed around the base, then made a slow pump to the tip. "Wanna play?"

As much as she wanted to keep her dignity, she couldn't deny what she really wanted. Lucy nodded her head since she didn't trust her voice. She knew if she spoke now she'd surely choke up.

"How do you want it?" Natsu asked, hand coming off his cock to travel over his abdominal muscles. Lucy's tongue came out to swipe over her lips, wanting to taste every inch of him.

In just her nightgown, Lucy strolled up to him. She was less than an inch away from kissing him when her hand curled around his hardened member. Natsu let out a surprised hiss which she swallowed, along with the moans that tumbled out when she began rubbing his cock.

Natsu groaned, clearly not prepared for her assault. She slipped her tongue into his mouth, dominating him as her other hand came down to caress his sac. It took him a moment to get a hold of himself, but once he did his hands grabbed at her hips, pulling her closer so her breasts pressed against his chest.

Lucy pulled away from the kiss, mouth seeking out his throat where she bit over his scar. Natsu bucked into her hands, fingers growing shaky as he felt Lucy drag her wet tongue over his pulse point before sucking. He knew he'd be fine if she left a hickey. The white scaled scarf he owned would be enough to cover the evidence of what she did to him, but the thrill of someone possibly seeing it, knowing his wife marked him sent a fire straight to his belly.

"I want you," Lucy whispered into his ear, minty breath fanning over his cheek as she made her way back to his mouth before sealing her lips on his. This time Natsu responded roughly to the kiss, one hand coming up to hold her head in place as his tongue invaded her mouth. His heart sped up as his other hand sought out the pink flower hidden between her legs.

A long finger dragged over her panty-covered core, feeling the moisture already gathering before rubbing little circles on her bundle of nerves. Lucy's knees started to buckle, but she stayed strong enough to keep standing.

She mewled, feeling Natsu's finger push her panties to the side before sliding a finger against her sex. She was dripping with need, ready for him to dominate her.

Which he did.

Lucy gasped when he grabbed a handful of hair, lightly tugging at it to pull her mouth away from him. She whimpered, but her hand continued to rub his cock as if nothing were wrong, because nothing was wrong. After years of being together Natsu gained more and more of her trust. They could push sex further than before the longer she recovered.

Natsu was pleased with her progress, especially now that she could handle when he growled, "You're all mine!"

Lucy moaned at the unspoken promise to show her exactly how she was his. Natsu's finger withdrew from her body before he turned her around. She already knew what he wanted, but she let him put her in the position anyway so he could establish dominance.

Natsu used his hand to press against her back, guiding her to lean over the counter with her ass in the air. The next thing he did was use his foot to push her feet further apart. She complied, spreading her legs so her exposed core could be seen when he lifted her nightgown.

Natsu growled at the sight. "You have such a pretty pussy," Natsu said as he lowered onto his knees. His tongue came out, swiping at her lower lips to collect her essence on his tongue. She tasted sweet, so he dived deeper.

Lucy whimpered when his hand moved to spread her lips apart. His tongue fucked her core, causing her to jerk and moan until his lips sealed over her clit. That's when she went wild. She quickly shot out her hand to hit the bathroom's fan, creating enough noise so their kids wouldn't hear what they were doing.

The last thing she wanted right now was one of them interrupting them... again. They'd never caught them in the act, but knocking on the door to see why they were shouting was enough to ruin the mood on more than one occasion. Lucy wanted to be safe this time.

"Moan for me Luce," Natsu grunted, his mouth and nose soaked as he covered his face in her core. He loved the smell and taste of her. He could never get enough. The only thing that stopped him was either her command - _which he listened to every time_ , or the throbbing of his cock demanded attention.

Natsu's tongue flicked over her clit mercilessly, drawing a string of cuss words from his wife as she succumbed to the pleasure he gave her.

Lucy's legs tensed, then shook. She was close, so Natsu sped up despite his jaw hurting. A finger came up to play with her entrance. He didn't push it in, instead just massaging the opening to give her a nice tease. It seemed to work, seeing as Lucy's body started quaking as his name was called out.

Natsu lapped up the juices running down her inner thighs, thoroughly pleased with her climax. He rose to his feet, feeling a little lightheaded before moving behind her. "Now that you're all wet," he said, grabbing his cock to line it up with her pulsing womanhood. "I'm going to fuck you, nice and hard."

Natsu paused for a moment, somewhat of a habit now to see if she had any protests. When the only word that came from her lips was, " _Please_ ," he began rubbing the length of his cock against her soaked pussy lips. She jerked whenever his tip rubbed over her clit, but he made no efforts to stop, knowing she liked what she felt.

When his cock was covered with her wetness, he entered her. One quick motion and he was fully submerged, her pussy already squeezing at him. Natsu growled, hands gripping her hips to help control himself. He looked down, making sure her belly was off and away from the counter before making the first of many thrusts.

" _Oooh, yess_ ," Lucy cried out when he snapped his hips forward. By now he knew what her body craved, and he was more than willing to do everything he could to satisfy her needs.

"Remember the first time I fucked you here?" Natsu asked as he gave her pussy long thrusts, "Before we even bought the house? You were so naughty, bent over this counter to accept my cock!"

Lucy's breathing became ragged as she let that memory take over. They were both naughty, having sex with the realtor so close by, easily getting caught with just the opening of a door.

Lucy lowered her head, puffing out her breaths as she whimpered. "Y- _yes_... S-so naughty!"

With the fan on, her moans sounded muffled, but his sharp hearing was enough to detect her response. He fucked into her again, drawing out a prolonged mewl before he pumped in again fervidly.

"Luce," Natsu grunted, cock pushing deep into her core, "you feel so fucking good! Seriously!" It didn't matter if this was the first or hundredth time he made love to her. She felt amazing every single time. "I love you so much," he growled, biting at her shoulder as he rammed in a little harder.

Lucy responded by thrusting her hips back, meeting him to deepen it each time. Natsu bit harder, drawing some blood as he fucked her sweet pussy again and again.

"Look at the mirror," Natsu demanded before biting at her again. He drew back his hand, waiting until she could clearly see what he was about to do before executing his move. He spanked her ass lightly, loving the sound the skin on skin contact made and the way her pussy gripped him for a few seconds afterwards.

Lucy's grip on the counter tightened as she neared her climax again. She squeezed her eyes shut until she heard Natsu's low voice. "Nuh uh," he grinned, teeth still biting into her flesh for a few more seconds before releasing the reddened skin. "I want you to keep looking at yourself in the mirror."

Lucy did as told, eyes coming open to watch herself as Natsu took her from behind. Her lips parted as a shaky breath escaped her, her throat tightening and her heart hammering. She was dangerously close, and Natsu's fast pace wasn't doing anything to pull her away from the edge.

"You look beautiful," Natsu said, one hand coming up to run his fingers through her golden locks. He could feel the sweat at the nape of her neck before he touched her soft hair. Natsu couldn't blame her for being worked up. He was sporting a healthy sweat too.

He stopped thrusting into her for a moment while his hands went to run over the curves of her body. She felt so soft under his rough hands, so warm and tender.

"Tell me," Natsu grunted as he gave her a rough thrust, causing her to gasp. "Tell me you look beautiful!"

Lucy moaned, forcing herself to keep her eyes open despite the desperate need she had to close them and succumb to the pleasure. "I-I'm beau- _aaahhhh_... Beaut-tiful,"

"Again," Natsu growled, teeth bared before he bit at her neck.

"I'm b-beautiful," Lucy whimpered, pussy clamping tightly around Natsu's cock. "S-so fucking beautiful," she added, her body shaking as she tumbled over the edge.

Natsu wasn't far behind her. Dirty talk was one thing, but forcing Lucy to moan compliments about herself was a weird kink he discovered a few years back. He loved the look in her eyes, the sound of her voice, and of course he loved the words she said, because she was speaking the truth.

"F- _fuck!_ " Natsu's hips stuttered as his cum filled her pussy. His body twitched with every spurt, coating her insides with his - _obviously very fertile_ \- sperm. He slumped over her, hot breath fanning on her neck as his hands grabbed onto the counter to keep his weight off her back.

"Th-that was awesome," Natsu panted, feeling like he could chug a gallon of water at one time. "You're fucking amazing," he kissed her neck, chuckling when she giggled.

"You ticklish?" He asked, nuzzling against her neck. He already knew the answer. Over the years they became closer. He knew so much about her and her body, like the way her neck got super sensitive after a climax, or the fact that she loved being lightly spanked, but only when she could see it was him striking her.

Lucy giggled until she started nodding. Natsu gave her throat a firm kiss, then slowly pulled out of her sore pussy. Some of his cum dripped down her inner thigh, so she jumped in the shower before it could race to the floor.

While she showered, Natsu washed his cock in the sink. It wasn't that weird of an action. All he did was get his hand a little soapy, stroke over his flaccid member, then repeat it with just a wet hand until the soap was gone. He dried off with the towel he used earlier, then sighed in contentment.

Having sex with Lucy really cleared his mind to allow fresh thoughts to enter. He enjoyed being intimate with her on a physical and emotional level. It was where carnal desire and his love for her came together, to not only pleasure him, but pleasure her as well. Sometimes he thought he overthought sex, but it couldn't be helped. Lucy fascinated him and she was constantly on his mind. It wasn't his fault he sometimes thought about sex with her and how deeply the simple act of making love to her meant to him.

While he was busy thinking about that, Lucy was finishing up her shower. When she emerged and wrapped a towel around her body and hair, Natsu chuckled since they were now in opposite positions from before.

"So, like I was saying earlier before you started ogling me," Natsu joked, earning a blush from his gorgeous wife, "is everything ready for Mason's party tomorrow?" Their son's fifth birthday was actually yesterday, but they were celebrating tomorrow since it was a Saturday and more people could get off work to bring their kids.

"Oh," Lucy smiled, "yup! Guests should start arriving at noon and it will last until seven."

"Seven hours with a bunch of screaming kids around," Natsu laughed, sarcasm laced with his tone, "that won't be stressful."

"At least their parents will be there," Lucy reasoned, then lowered her gaze to Natsu's naked body. "Are you going to put clothes on?"

"Nah," Natsu felt no shame for his body. "It's getting kinda hot."

"You're kinda hot," Lucy tried mumbling under her breath, but Natsu easily heard her. Judging by the sheepish grin on his face, Lucy realized it, causing her blush to spread.

Lucy quickly ran a brush through her hair, getting it untangled before heading to their bed. It wasn't the bed they had five years ago. The blood from Lucy stained it too badly, so they got rid of it.

They needed a king-sized bed now anyway since every once in a while one of their kids would sneak into the bed with them. It was a bad habit, but Natsu and Lucy didn't have the heart to send them away when they had a bad dream. Besides, it only happened once in a blue moon, so there wasn't much harm.

The ones they really needed to keep off the bed were the many, _many_ cats now living in their house. They adopted a cat from the animal shelter to give Happy a companion. What they didn't realize was the white furred cat they got wasn't fixed, so before they knew it there was a litter of kittens running around their house.

They quickly got Carla, their new female cat, fixed. They decided to keep the kittens they couldn't give away. It was nice having the animals in the house, even if sometimes it was a pain cleaning up after them.

"Man," Natsu laid his head down on the soft pillow, easily relaxing his body, "I'm beat."

"Me too," Lucy turned off the lamp, then crawled into bed by Natsu. She started cuddling up to him, realizing he was facing away from her.

"You be the big spoon tonight," Natsu pouted, grabbing her arm to wrap around his waist.

Lucy laughed, but fulfilled his request. She didn't mind cuddling him, even if it put one of her arms to sleep in the process. Despite the warm air outside, Natsu's hot body felt nice against her skin. It was a constant reminder of who she was with, not that she feared she was with anyone else anymore. There were still occasionally a bad dream, or a rare trigger she hadn't worked through yet that set her off, but more often than not she was at peace with her life.

"G'night," Natsu started, breathing evening out as he drifted to sleep. He had a long day at work, and cumming certainly didn't help him stay awake. "Love you..."

"Love you too, Natsu." Lucy pressed her face to his back, feeling his heartbeat through his heated skin. "Sweet dreams."

"You... too... Luce..."

The two drifted off to sleep, Lucy's arms secured around him and Natsu smiling as he enjoyed her loving embrace. Some days it honestly felt like their lives were perfect.

* * *

And then other days it felt like they were drowning.

Today would be a good example of that. Natsu and Lucy were hosting their son's fifth birthday party, meaning they were surrounded by about twenty kids, all from the ages of infancy to thirteen years old.

It wasn't all bad. There were plenty of parents to watch the kids, so the responsibility didn't weigh Lucy and Natsu down too much.

The air was warm, so Lucy decided to wear capris seeing as the scars on her lower legs were faded enough to not be noticeable. She used the scar cream a lot, and that combined with time definitely helped. She hoped in a few more years she'd be able to wear shorts, but for now she was happy with this.

Her children asked about her scars in the past, and Lucy decided to be as honest with them as she could. She said sometimes people make bad choices when they're upset. She said their mom made some bad choices, but she's working on fixing them so she can be a better person for them. They smiled, accepting that answer for the time being.

Recovery only got easier the longer time passed. Natsu was doing well too. He hadn't had anything alcoholic to drink since he quit over five years ago, and he gave no signs of ever missing it. He still went to his AA meetings once a week. He used to go more often, but now that he had kids to take care of he lessened his time away from them. Besides, he didn't feel the urge, so he felt confident reducing his meetings.

Lucy was rushing back and forth all day during the party, making sure no kids wandered off their property and making sure food and drinks were set out so no one went hungry. The messes were also an issue. Kids were messy, so Lucy was busy cleaning up spills and dirt from kid's cheeks before they zoomed off to get more dirty. It was exhausting, but seeing the smiles on everyone's face was worth it.

Most of the kids at the party were Mason's age, so Lucy suggested Wendy invite the neighbor kid over for her to play with. They were really good friends since the girl was thirteen years old and went to Wendy's school. She was a sweet girl named Sherria, with hair almost as pink as Natsu's.

Speaking of Natsu, her husband was running around with the kids to keep them entertained. The only thing he wasn't allowed to do was the bounce castle. Not only was he a little too big for it, but Lucy also wanted to avoid having all the mom's of their guests staring at her husband like a pack of hungry hyenas looking at their next meal. The single moms were the worst, blatantly staring despite knowing he was a happily married man.

Lucy knew Natsu would never cheat on her. Hell, she doubted it ever crossed his mind, but she didn't want to dangle her husband in front of them like that. Especially when he chose to wear a tight muscle shirt and dark jeans. Even Lucy had to admit he looked extra drool-worthy today.

Natsu ran up to Lucy when she was in the middle of setting out more cups. He didn't hesitate to grab the back of her head, gently leading her to a kiss before pulling away. "This party's awesome!" He quickly went back to Gray's side where they bet whose son could take the other in a fight, only to end up fighting themselves.

Lucy giggled, women glared, and she blushed. Yes, she was Natsu's world, and he only had eyes for her no matter how many scars or stretch marks adorned her body or how much she weighed after giving birth last time. She wasn't ridiculously large, but she wasn't going to be modeling swimsuits anytime soon. But Natsu was okay with that, and so was she. In the end, their opinions were the only ones that mattered.

As Lucy greeted another round of guests at the front door, she noticed their mail being delivered. She figured she might as well grab it now since she was already outside. After letting the guests inside, she strolled over the mailbox where she collected three envelopes.

Lucy made her way inside and to the kitchen where she usually dropped off the mail. She flipped through them, seeing the first was a utility bill, the second junk mail, but the third made her stop in her tracks.

She furrowed her brows when she saw no return address, but the letter was addressed to 'Lucy Heartfilia'. She cocked her head, thinking it'd been years since she last went by that name. Curious, she opened it up to take a peek.

After reading the first two lines she shoved the letter back in the envelope and crushed it in her fist. _'That fucking bastard,'_ was all she could think as she threw the other two envelopes on the counter before placing a hand to her forehead to cool herself off. Her temper made her face heat up with rage. _'I can't believe he would...'_

Lucy shook her head. She was lying to herself, because she knew he could. That asshole was perfectly capable of ruining her life when he wanted to. Her hand on her face slipped, feeling wetness on her skin. _'Great. And now I'm crying at my son's party.'_ She felt awful.

Not wanting to make a scene, she went quickly to the master bedroom to clean herself up before going back outside. She didn't want anyone to see her like that. Once she was inside the room she shared with Natsu, she went to go sit on the bed.

Lucy practiced taking deep breaths. Her heart was racing, her palms beginning to sweat, and her chest tightened. She recognized the signs of anxiety, so she worked through what her counselor told her to do when she felt like this.

_Step one: Locate the reason for the anxiety._

That was easy. She got a letter from her good-for-nothing ex-husband out of the blue. She knew he got out of prison a few months ago - _somehow he got out for good behavior_ \- but she didn't think he'd try to contact her. It was why she let the last restraining order expire. She thought they were done with each other.

_Step two: What's the worst thing that could happen?_

That thought was terrifying. He could come to their house and try to take her away from her family, or worse... He could get rid of her family...

More tears flooded her eyes as fear spiked within her. She had to get to step three now before she allowed herself to slip into a worse state.

_Step three: How likely is that to happen?_

That was a tricky one. Jackal was known to be a sick son of a bitch. She wouldn't put it past him to try to ruin everything she built together with Natsu.

_'Natsu.'_

Last time they came face to face Natsu had lost, but only because he was already exhausted and sick. In his condition now there was no way Jackal would be able to enter their house without getting his teeth knocked in. Natsu would protect her, Natsu would protect their children. As long as she had her support system, Jackal couldn't hurt them.

_Step four: Talk yourself down._

Lucy started making plans in her mind already. They could get a security system just in case, even though Magnolia didn't exactly have the highest crime record. She could get a restraining order on Jackal so he couldn't try to contact her again, in person or by mail.

Lucy didn't realize she was tightly gripping onto the envelope so much little indents were forming on her skin. She slowly opened her fist to reveal the crumpled up letter.

She didn't want to read it, to give Jackal the satisfaction of getting under her skin. She felt the tears streaming down her face again as memories of his abuse came to the forefront of her mind. He'd been so cruel to her, and for what? It was all meaningless in the end.

If things worked out perfectly she would have ended up with Natsu in the beginning. Sure her mother would have passed away, but her last four years were stuck in a hospital anyway. She honestly didn't look happy. Layla was just holding on, probably for her family's sake. So the death of her mother would have hurt, just like it hurt when she passed away for real, but at least that way Lucy wouldn't have been abused and raped for years while Natsu tried to drink himself to death to get over her absence.

They could have been together, created a life sooner. It might not be Mason specifically, so that hurt, but she wouldn't have known how much she loved her son. They might not have adopted Wendy though... The talk of adoption only came up because Lucy thought she was infertile... So...

Lucy flexed her fingers to keep herself from thinking about scratching herself. She rarely got the urge anymore, but sometimes it crept up on her. She hadn't cut herself since before she found out she was pregnant with Mason, and she intended on keeping it that way. She wasn't thinking about cutting now because she was mad about the letter Jackal sent. She was upset when she imagined a life without her children in it, no matter how 'easy' it would have made things.

Lucy's hand covered her belly, soothing the dull ache in her heart. This was her life. She didn't have to worry about what could have happened, because this was all that mattered. If she didn't go through what she did with Jackal, she'd be in another place right now.

In the end she decided things worked out this way for a reason. She would never thank Jackal for what he did. She wanted nothing to do with him, or the past, but if it hadn't happened like that she never would have known Mason or Wendy, and that thought alone hurt.

Just as Lucy decided she wanted to destroy the letter, she stopped. What if there was something she needed to read in there? What if it was something dealing with a legal matter? Or what if it was a threat? She wouldn't put it past him to do either, so reluctantly, she opened the envelope to read the letter.

It was short, just one page worth of text. She only barely recognized his handwriting since it'd been so long ago since she saw it last, but it was clearly him who wrote it.

After taking a deep breath, she read it. She went through it quickly, not wanting to get stuck on any specific part for too long. By the time Lucy finished the letter, her eyes were dried up, her sadness gone. Instead she felt her heart turning cold and her body going numb. She felt... nothing.

No pain from his words.

No sorrow for what he said.

Nothing.

Because the man meant nothing to her.

The letter was just an apology letter, saying he was sorry for what he put her through. Apparently he 'learned' what it was like to be taken by force, and he 'now realized' it was wrong. Lucy had to scoff. It took going to prison and getting raped himself to realize rape was wrong? What a joke!

He had the nerve to ask for forgiveness, which she wouldn't give. He had no right to ask for such a thing. Lucy already came to terms with what happened years ago. She worked past her demons, but that didn't mean she had to grant him forgiveness, and it didn't matter if she did anyway. Right after that he said he didn't expect her to reply to him, that's why there was no return address.

_'Yeah right,'_ Lucy thought. She knew the real reason he didn't put a return address. Either he thought Natsu might read it if he saw who it was from, or Jackal knew Lucy wouldn't even open it if she saw.

Speaking of Natsu, she wondered what he would think of the letter. She wanted to destroy it, but she figured she'd at least let him read it. She didn't want to keep things from him, and a letter from her ex-husband was something that definitely didn't happen every day. Secrets like this were toxic for a marriage, and she didn't want to risk something like that.

Lucy pulled out her phone, sending Natsu a quick text to meet her in the bedroom. She breathed deeply, wishing she got this letter on a different day. She wondered if Jackal timed it so the letter would arrive right around Mason's birthday. He knew when her baby was born, seeing as he tried to claim paternity over him five years ago.

Lucy looked over the envelope again, wondering why her mind didn't automatically pick up on Jackal's handwriting for her name. Scratch that, her _maiden name_.

She was Lucy Dragneel now, and she intended on keeping that name until the day she died. She knew Jackal knew she was married to Natsu already. The paperwork five years ago clearly stated Lucy Dragneel on it when he sent the court-ordered DNA test. This was just his way of getting one last jab at her.

Well, it didn't work. She wouldn't allow him to affect her like that anymore. He was nothing more than a distant memory that only popped up when she was feeling down or triggered. Natsu, Mason, Wendy, and soon Natalie were her life now. They were all that mattered, now and forever.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for your continued support! It means so much to me! Thank you for every hit, kudo, and comment! Special thanks to those who commented last time: Miraculous_kid, E._.Otaku, and turtle3334!
> 
> Up next, the final chapter: Chapter Twenty-Four: Perfectly Imperfect (Epilogue- Part Two)
> 
> *Mason is the boy's name I would like to use if I ever have a boy. (Though I'm definitely not ready for a kid yet, so not sure if/when I'd even be able to use it.)
> 
> *Natalie is just a generic girl's name. I thought it would be cute since the first three letters are the same as her father's, plus I didn't want to go with the classic Nashi. But I do really like the name Nashi, just didn't want to use it for this story.
> 
> I hope everyone enjoyed how the epilogue turned out so far. Not only is Lucy about to have two of Natsu's children, but they also adopted Wendy. Let me know what you thought of part one? I'm nervous to post the last chapter. Not because I think you won't like it, just because it means this story will actually end. :/
> 
> *There's more to reveal in the last part, but if you want to know something then let me know, so if I haven't added it to the second part I can try to before posting the last chapter! The last chapter is a happy one, so don't worry! :)


	24. Perfectly Imperfect (Epilogue- Part Two)

**Chapter Twenty-Four: Perfectly Imperfect (Epilogue Part Two)**

"Hey Luce!" Natsu greeted as soon as he entered the master bedroom, startling her since she didn't hear him opening the door. She looked up at him, seeing a huge grin on his face, his pink hair covered in blue and red silly string. "What's up?"

Natsu looked at Lucy's face, seeing the dried tears staining her cheeks. His demeanor changed in an instant. Rushing to her side, he wrapped an arm around her back. "What's wrong? Are you feeling okay?"

He placed a hand gently on her belly, "Are you in pain?"

"No," she sighed, "nothing like that."

A sense of relief flooded Natsu. After what happened last time with her pregnancy, Natsu was on high alert. He didn't want a repeat, so he paid extra attention to her moods and body language.

Natsu brought a hand up, softly caressing her cheek to turn her face to his. "What's wrong?" He whispered, thumb stroking on her cheek.

In his embrace, she cracked. Lucy lunged forward, wrapping him in a tight hug. This. This was why she loved him so much. He was so silly and lovable, but when he needed to be he was as caring and gentle as they came.

She slowly pulled away from him, a fresh shine to her eyes were tears collected, but she didn't shed them. "Here," Lucy handed him the wrinkled letter. "I thought you might want to read it before I rip it up."

Natsu nodded, not understanding what was going on, but he took Lucy's words seriously. He unfolded the letter, not recognizing the handwriting at all, but after a few lines it was obvious who it was from. Only Jackal would be able to say something like this seeing as he was the only one who put her through that much mental and physical torture.

Natsu clenched his teeth when he read over certain parts. Some were worse than others. If this was supposed to be an apology letter, he did a really shitty job at it.

_**I know what it's like to be forced now...** _

_**...don't know if you'll ever forgive me, but...** _

_**I wish things worked out differently, I wish...** _

_**I miss you** _

_**...putting you through hell, I honestly didn't know it was hurting you that much. I...** _

_**Please forgive me.** _

Natsu scrunched up his face in disgust. This bastard didn't deserve her forgiveness, or her mercy. He deserved everything he got in prison and then some.

He handed the letter back to her, letting the silence wash over both of them for a moment as he collected his thoughts. Natsu looked up at her face, seeing a strength living in her brown eyes. It wasn't there when he saw her in the bar that night at Fairy Tail, but it was constantly there now. He admired Lucy, now and forever.

"So," Natsu started, cutting through the silence. "I'm about to fire up the grill... You wanna burn it?"

Lucy only had one question. "Will it ruin the taste of the food?"

"I don't think so."

"Then yes," Lucy took his hand, feeling the warmth and roughness to it. "I want to burn it."

So that's what they did. After Natsu lit the coals, Lucy placed the letter on the fire. They watched it as the paper started disintegrating before their very eyes, forever disappearing from the world and burning away the words she didn't want to read.

Lucy heard of forgiving someone for yourself, not them, but why should she forgive Jackal? He raped her, humiliated her, beat her, and verbally abused her, for years. She owed him nothing, and she already felt complete with her life before the letter came, and she would continue to feel whole long after it was gone.

One letter wouldn't change things, and she was okay with never getting proper closure with Jackal. That relationship wasn't healthy even from the start, and keeping him out of her life was the only thing she could do to ensure the damage he caused never came back to darken her mind.

Forgiveness wasn't necessary for healing, and she found that out after years of counseling. She couldn't say she didn't harbor anger for the man. It'd be pointless to try to make that claim. When the subject of Jackal was brought up, she felt that anger boiling right under the surface of her skin, but mostly she never thought about him or what he did to her.

The abuse he inflicted was erased by Natsu's gentle touches. The vicious insults he spewed were pummeled by the sound of her children's laughter. The fierce glare he used to send her way was wiped away, replaced with the light that lived in her eyes. Lucy was strong, and didn't need a letter from Jackal to make her feel better about herself. She had the support of her family, the love, the adoration, and the safety.

Jackal meant nothing to her but a painful distant memory, and nothing would change that.

By the time Natsu was placing the burgers on the grill, Lucy already forgot about the letter. A few jokes from Natsu was all it took to take her mind off her past. She smiled, loving the gleam in his green eyes when he leaned down to plant a kiss on her lips.

She loved her life, and that was all that mattered.

The two proud parents watched as Mason and Wendy started playing together. She squirted him with a water gun, and he retaliated by throwing a water balloon at her. They were laughing, smiling, and having a good time together.

While Natsu finished up the burgers, Lucy went around to mingle with the parents. She stuck with people she knew since most of the adults were the parents of kids in Mason's class - _who she didn't know_.

Lucy first went up to her sister-in-law, Mavis. The shorter girl was holding her newborn son, a pale blond haired baby with rosy cheeks. "How's Larcade doing?" Lucy asked, smiling down at the sleeping baby.

"He's good," Mavis said, shifting her son so Lucy could get a better look. "Still a little fussy when he's away from me, but he's slowly getting better."

Lucy smiled, "That's good. If you want, we have some of Mason's baby clothes packed up. Do you want me to go grab them?"

"Sure," Mavis nodded, hugging her son closer to her body when some kids ran by. "That'd be great."

"I'll go get them and set them in the living room," Lucy said before taking off. She went inside, then cringed when she realized she'd have to go in the attic. It was creepy, but she wanted to do this for Mavis and Zeref. They helped out a lot when Mason was born, so it was only fair to return the favor.

Lucy climbed up, entering the dark attic. She used her flashlight app on her phone to see her way, flashing over a box marked 'Halloween', only to frown when she saw the pink scaled dragon and blue skeleton cat they bought a while back.

"What are you doing out of the box?" Lucy asked, taking a closer look at the dragon. It's cheek was previously busted up, but Natsu took super glue to its face and fixed it. She still thought it was funny, the dragon had a cracked cheek in the same place Natsu had his cheek scar.

Lucy looked over, seeing the blonde angel beside the pink scaled dragon. She brushed her fingers through the golden hair, finding it just as soft as it was when they bought her. Before she could dwell on her holiday decorations, she remembered she was supposed to be getting Mason's baby clothes.

It took her a moment, but she started scooting the two boxes of clothing towards the exit. She began wondering how she was going to lift the boxes, but stopped when she heard someone say, "Hello?"

Lucy smiled when she recognized her father-in-law's voice. "Hey Igneel," she said, then looked down at the red haired man. "Can you help me?"

"Of course!" Igneel didn't hesitate to help his son's wife. Lucy was part of the family now, and he'd do whatever he could to help family. Lucy admired that trait, seeing as it was passed down to Natsu.

With Igneel's help the boxes were brought down and set in the living room with ease. "Thank you," Lucy hugged the man, not feeling any weirdness since all the Dragneels' were so friendly.

"You're welcome," he patted her on the head, then escorted her back outside. "Great party."

"Yup," Lucy smiled, looking at all the laughing kids running around their backyard. It was hard to believe the first time she looked at this yard she couldn't imagine any kids in it.

The two talked for a while longer until Natsu announced food was ready. Lucy helped him make the burgers to hand out while Zeref came by to help hand out drinks. With everyone working together, the party was a big success.

Lucy enjoyed seeing their family together. Jude showed up a little late, but it was better than nothing. Their relationship had gotten better over the years, but there was still a part of Lucy that held a sadness towards her father. It lessened over time, giving her hope that one day it would vanish completely.

Igneel and Grandeeney were there, as well as Zeref and Mavis. They were more involved in Natsu and Lucy's life since they lived a lot closer. Plus there wasn't any drama between them, making it easier to feel comfortable around them.

Lucy also enjoyed seeing all her friend's children. Levy and Gajeel had a three year old girl, while Gray and Juvia now had three little ones, the newest being another boy. Erza was pregnant now. They were trying for a few years, and finally all their efforts paid off. Lisanna had three kids now, all of which got along with the others well. Bisca brought her daughter too, but she liked playing with the water guns more than anything.

Mason and Gray's oldest son started a play fight. Instead of breaking them up, Natsu and Gray stood on the sidelines cheering their sons on. It wasn't an uncommon sight since Mason loved playing with Gray's kids. Lucy and Juvia face-palmed, but said nothing to break it up.

Mason opened his presents, cake and ice cream was shared, and many more games were played until the late afternoon.

All in all the party went great.

"I'm so exhausted," Lucy groaned, face first into the pillow.

Natsu chuckled, then padded his way over to their bed. The party was finally over, the kids were in bed, and they were both showered. He fell into the bed next to her, reveling in the softness beneath him. "Me too."

Lucy shuffled until she could see her tired husband. "Great party though."

"Absolutely," Natsu wiggled closer to her, letting his heated skin press against her side. "Way better than Wendy's."

Lucy laughed at the pout on Natsu's face. "You're just upset she wanted an all girl's party."

"No I'm not," Natsu denied, but his tone betrayed his true feelings. "Just woulda been cool to be invited..."

"You got to take her out to a father-daughter dinner for her birthday," Lucy pointed out. "So it's even."

"Hardly," Natsu grunted. "She just wanted to talk about how cool her girl's party was." He huffed, "She said you guys ate ice cream and pizza all night while watching movies."

"So?"

"I wanna do that stuff!"

Lucy laughed. "We do that once a month anyways as a family. Wendy just wanted some time with the girls." For Wendy's twelfth birthday she wanted a group of girls from her school to have a sleepover. Natsu and Mason weren't invited, forced to crash over at Natsu's parent's house while Lucy enjoyed the female companions. "Maybe next year she'll want her dad there."

"Hope so," Natsu closed his eyes, feeling just how great it felt to do something so simple. He didn't realize how much energy he used trying to keep up with all the kids today. "She's growing up too fast. They both are."

"That we can both agree with," Lucy smiled, then dipped her head under her husband's chin. "Pretty soon she'll start dating, and graduating, and Mason will want to learn how to drive, and Wendy will be going off to college, and-"

Lucy was silenced with a rough kiss. She looked at him in shock, seeing the pain in his green eyes as he looked down at her. When he released her mouth, he said, "Please stop. I already know it's gonna go by too quickly." He laid his head back down on the pillow, sighing. "Let's just not think about it yet."

Lucy's eyes softened. She didn't realize how badly the thought of their kids growing up effected him. He always seemed so happy, but he truly loved them like his own, and wanted them to stay little forever.

"Then we won't talk about that," Lucy agreed, curling a leg over Natsu's body to get closer to him. She placed a hand over his heart, feeling the steady beat slowly speed up when she pressed her lips to his.

Their kiss was lazy, just feeling the other, not applying much pressure. When Lucy pulled away, Natsu whispered, "Is the door locked?"

Lucy nodded, "Yes. Why?" She trailed a finger down his chest, admiring his hard muscles. "What'd you have in mind?"

"I think you know," Natsu smirked before capturing her lips again.

She tasted like her mint toothpaste, but there was a hint of her personal flavor added to it. He'd grown fond of it over the years, knowing that taste only came from his wife's mouth.

Lucy moaned when he slipped his tongue into her mouth, his wet muscle massaging her own until she thrust hers into his mouth. Natsu smiled against her lips, hands grabbing at her hips to shift her on top of him so she rested on his chest. The two stayed like that, caught up in their heated kiss while Natsu's hands roamed over her body.

Lucy spread her legs so she could straddle his hips, then began grinding herself against his crotch. Natsu's body responded to her touches, blood rushing south to fill his cock with need. Even when he was fully erect she didn't stop, enjoying the way he felt sliding against her covered core.

" _Luce_ ," Natsu moaned against her lips, feeling fire pool in his belly. "I want to taste you."

Lucy gave his lips a slow lick before getting up. She removed her nightgown and panties while Natsu quickly discarded his pajama pants and boxers. When Lucy climbed back on the bed she already knew what she wanted.

She pushed Natsu back down on the bed, his head no longer resting on a pillow since that would get in the way. Lucy straddled his face, her thighs pressing against the sides of his head as she lowered herself onto his hot mouth.

Natsu moaned when he tasted her potent juices. She was so wet and delicious, his scorching tongue came out to taste every bit of her. Lucy held onto the headboard, holding back her moans until she realized she should try to cover them.

With shaky fingers Lucy grabbed Natsu's phone since it was closer. She quickly went to his music app, playing whatever song came on first to drown out the whimper he pulled from her when he sucked on her hardened clit.

" _Aaahhh F-fuck_ ," Lucy's legs quivered when she felt him flick his tongue over the swollen nub. "That feels good," Lucy whispered, hips bucking to get closer to his amazing mouth.

Natsu's hands came up, each searching out her breasts. Lucy grabbed his hands, guiding them to her aching nipples. His touch drove her wild, drawing multiple moans from her parted lips as his fingers pinched and tugged on her sensitive buds.

Lucy squirmed, already feeling her body jolting. Natsu groaned, his tongue lapping up her wet folds before diving into her heat. He loved the way her body jerked to his actions. After so many years it never got old.

His large hands palmed her breasts, squeezing them until the excess flesh spilled between his fingers. Lucy hardly noticed, her eyes shut and her head tipped back as she accepted the pleasure her husband was giving her.

Lucy felt her body tighten and relax over and over again as a rush of ecstasy flooded her system. She shook hard, hands tightening on the headboard until her knuckles turned white. " _G-god, d-damn!_ "

Natsu smirked against her pussy lips before licking up the new wetness she created. His hands continued to knead her supple flesh, loving how soft the globes of flesh felt in his rough hands.

Lucy whimpered when he continued to eat her out. He took her wet folds into his mouth, sucking on them before licking over her engorged bundle of nerves again. Lucy's body gave a mini spasm every time that devilish tongue of his touched her sensitive skin, which was quite often with as much attention as he gave her core.

"H-how does it taste?" Lucy asked, her voice sounding just as breathless as she was.

"Fucking amazing," Natsu growled, lips soaked from her juices. He shoved his tongue into her entrance, saliva mixing with her wetness as he tried - _and failed_ \- to collect all her moisture. Every swipe of his tongue only brought more, making it an impossible task, but that didn't stop him from trying.

" _Nnggh_ , Na- _aahhhhh_ ," Lucy's thighs tensed around his head as she felt another wave hit her, this time enough to leave her gasping for air. " _Natsuuu!_ "

Natsu was glad she was playing music, otherwise their kids were sure to hear her moaning his name. He couldn't even register what song was playing, only barely hearing the lyrics. Lucy rocked her hips over his mouth, riding out her orgasm until her body felt limp. She barely managed to climb off his face, body splayed out on the mattress while her husband crawled on top of her.

Lucy opened her mouth when she saw Natsu descending on her. Her tongue was already out when his mouth pressed against hers. She wanted to taste what he tasted, to feel her own juices against her tongue. Natsu licked at her mouth, letting her know just how delicious her essence tasted. He loved letting her sample her body. It made the lecherous thoughts run wild.

He lowered himself, hands spreading her legs wide so he could get a good look at her core. Lucy whimpered when he dragged his hot tongue across her wet lips, then mewled when he spent a few seconds sucking on her clit. "I love the sounds you make," he growled, then began crawling back up to her face.

On his way there, he stopped to trace his finger over the scar from her c-section. Natsu leaned down, kissing the scar every inch along the way while his fingers trailed over every stretch mark around her hips. "Thank you for giving me children," he said, referring to all three of his kids. "There's no one else I'd rather raise them with than you."

Lucy felt herself getting teary, so she quickly grabbed his shoulders to pull him closer to her face. "You're welcome," Lucy murmured before seizing his lips. Natsu could easily dominate the kiss, but instead he chose to match the languid strokes of her tongue. He enjoyed fiery raw passion, but he also loved when they took their time.

They stayed like that for a while, until the pulsing in Lucy's core became too much to bear. She pushed Natsu's chest until he lifted up, then straddled him once more. She took a hold of his cock, teasing her engorged bundle of nerves with the tip a few strokes before easing onto his thick length.

Natsu groaned, head tipped back as he felt her sink onto his shaft. " _Fuck_ ," he muttered, system feeling like it was set on fire from their connected bodies.

"Feel so fucking good!" Natsu moaned through clenched teeth when she raised herself up, her core massaging him with every thrust.

Lucy knew exactly what to do to get Natsu's fire burning. Years of practice ensured that. She leaned down, teeth scraping at his exposed throat before biting down hard. Natsu growled, hands coming up to grab her waist.

Lucy anticipated that, grabbing his wrists to hold them forcibly by his head so he couldn't move. She bit harder against his flesh, causing his cock to surge inside her.

" _Oh fuck!_ That feels amazing!" Natsu huffed, face breaking out into a blush at the position he was in. Natsu loved dominating her, but every once in a while it was nice surrendering the control to her will, and right now was one of those times.

Lucy moved her hips, making sure to keep up with a steady pace while she sucked at his neck, marking it with a dark red bruise. Natsu barely tried lifting his arms, pleasure coursing through him when she slammed them back down on the bed. They both knew he could easily overpower her, but it was nice pretending like he was completely at her mercy.

"Do you like that?" Lucy whispered hotly in his ear when she finally released his flesh. She held back a giggle when Natsu started violently nodding.

"Yes! _God yes!_ " He felt her body grind against his fluidly, his cock surrounded by her wet heat that seemed to squeeze him in all the right places. "You feel f- _fucking fantastic!_ "

"Good," Lucy moaned before licking the shell of his ear. She leaned up, hands still pinning his wrists to the bed and hips still ramming against his to take in his thick cock. She loved the way he spread her, reaching every sensitive spot with each thrust.

She looked down at him, golden hair curtaining around their faces as she took in his expression. His face, neck, and part of his chest were red. He looked flustered, his green eyes hazy with his mouth parted to let loose the moans tumbling from him.

Lucy loved dominating him. Earlier in their marriage it freaked her out, reminding her of what Jackal did to her, but with Natsu it was completely different.

Hell, every once in a while she let Natsu pin her down and have his way with her, but only when they both agreed safe words could be used. She loved him controlling her body every now and then, but tonight she wanted it for herself.

"Moan my name," Lucy commanded, purposely clamping around his cock.

"L- _Lucy!_ " He barely got out, voice going hoarse from his rapid panting. The excitement of having her so confident was frying his brain.

"Again!" Lucy fell hard on his cock, hitting a little deeper than before.

" _Lucyyyy!_ " Natsu gasped when he felt her coming around his cock. He had no idea she was even close, and neither did she judging by the surprised look that crossed her face.

" _Naaatssuuuu_ ," she whimpered, core tightening around his cock over and over again as she went through her orgasm.

Natsu hardly kept himself together. He already felt himself growing closer, and the way Lucy's back arched to give him a better view of her large breasts didn't help his resolve.

"You're s-so beautiful," Natsu groaned, his fingers flexing when he felt himself losing circulation.

Lucy let up on his wrists, letting out an 'eep' when Natsu promptly flipped them. Her legs instinctively wrapped around his hips as he guided himself back in her sweet core. It was like a safe haven, a place where he could experience nothing but pleasure.

"God, I love you!" He growled before roughly thrusting into her.

Lucy gasped, hands grabbing onto his shoulders where her nails embedded in his tough skin. Natsu didn't mind. In fact he loved the burn that came when she scratched him. "A-again!" Lucy's moan was muffled when Natsu kissed her, his hips coming back only to slam into her tight core all over again.

Her toes curled as she gasped for air. Lucy felt her body pulsing before she met her end, pussy milking Natsu's cock until he surrendered and released deep inside her. He couldn't hold out any longer. She felt way too good wrapped around him, and he was weak to her body.

Natsu's body went limp against hers, hot breaths coming from his open mouth as he tried to regain his composure. Lucy was in the same situation, sweat beading down her forehead from their activities.

"Damn," Natsu growled, slowly pulling his softened member from her body. He rolled onto his back, taking Lucy with him so she laid beside him. "That was awesome!"

Lucy tried to laugh, but her throat was dry from panting. "It was," she said, resting her head on his chest. "I'm so tired now."

"Me too," Natsu closed his eyes, but then opened them again when he realized he needed to clean up. He gave Lucy a kiss to the temple before getting out of bed. After washing his cock and face off, he went back to the bed with a wet wash cloth to clean her core.

Lucy appreciated the gesture since her body was too exhausted to stand. When she said she was good, he returned the cloth to the bathroom to wash another day.

Natsu slipped back under the covers, legs a little weak and eyes already getting heavy. He cuddled his wife, wanting to feel her against him as he fell asleep. They mumbled good night to each other before fully relaxing.

Natsu was just about to fall asleep when he heard a scream coming from down the hall.

"DADDY!"

He jolted awake, sitting straight up in the bed, ready to run to his son's room to see what happened. He worried maybe his son got injured, but those thoughts died as soon as he heard Mason scream, "There's a spider in my room!"

Natsu let out a chuckle, then fell back in the bed. "Oh man," he placed a hand over his racing heart, feeling his skin pulse as he tried to calm down. He moved over to bury his nose into the crook of his wife's neck before saying, "I guess I'll be right back. Gotta go slay a spider."

Lucy giggled at him, "Good luck."

He threw on his clothes before heading to Mason's room down the hall. He was a little surprised when he saw Wendy there, holding a shoe.

"Don't worry Dad. I got it," Wendy said, showing him the tip of the shoe where the spider's guts were smeared.

"Atta girl," Natsu said, ruffling Wendy's blue locks. He looked over at Mason, smiling when he said, "You're lucky to have such a brave sister."

Mason's brown eyes lit up as he nodded. "Yeah! She's the best!"

Natsu laughed, then told Wendy to go to her room. He'd be in there in a minute after putting Mason to bed. She complied, heading out the room while Natsu escorted his son to the bed.

When his son was tucked in, he leaned over to press a kiss to his forehead. "Good night, Mason. I love you."

"Love you too, Daddy."

Natsu's heart warmed as he nodded. He stood up, heading out to Wendy's room after turning off Mason's light. He headed a little down the hall to enter Wendy's room. She was already laying in bed with her covers loosely spread over her.

Natsu began tucking her in, only to receive a huff from his daughter.

"I'm getting too old for that," she complained, tucking herself into the blanket.

Natsu placed a hand over his heart, feigning pain when he said, "Ouch! Well too bad! I'm gonna do it anyways!"

Wendy squealed when he tickled her sides before finally tucking her in. Luckily she accepted the kiss to her forehead before saying good night to her dad.

"Good night Wendy. I love you."

"I love you too," she said before yawning.

Natsu flipped off her lights, then headed back to the master bedroom. Lucy was still awake, smiling when he entered. "Did you take care of it?"

"Nah," Natsu said as he pulled off his shirt. "Wendy did. Killed that spider dead."

Lucy only shook her head. "Killed it dead, huh?"

"Yup!" Natsu sounded proud of his little girl, which he was. She was growing up to be one tough cookie, just like a Dragneel.

He crawled into bed, snuggling close to his wife. "I love you Lucy," he gave her a sweet kiss to the lips, relishing in the feeling of her softness. "I'm so glad you're my wife," he kissed her again. "My partner in life," he said as his lips pressed against hers once more. He couldn't get enough.

**6 Years Later**

When Natsu pulled away, Lucy smiled, "And I love you too."

She ran her fingers over his chest, admiring how well he kept his body over the years. Some thirty-three year olds Lucy knew started letting themselves go. She knew she was trying to fight it herself, but Natsu assured her he didn't mind the extra pounds she picked over the years.

Having two kids and raising three left her body tired and a little less defined, but Natsu showed and told her just how beautiful she was, each and every day.

Natsu leaned in, sealing a kiss over her lips. "Good night Lucy."

Lucy snuggled closer to him. "I don't think I can sleep," she whined. "Our little baby's growing up."

She heard a chuckle, "I know. It'll be fine, we'll get through it."

"Bullshit," Lucy said against his chest. "You know you're going to be crying just as much as I am."

"True," Natsu couldn't deny how emotional he'd be. Wendy was graduating high school tomorrow, and although he couldn't be prouder, he didn't want his little girl to grow up so fast. It seemed like yesterday she was twelve years old, spraying his hair with silly string. Now she was making plans to go to Magnolia University and move into a dorm and-

"Actually, I might cry now."

"What happened to 'we'll get through it'?" Lucy hugged around his middle, pulling him closer.

"I lied," Natsu mumbled. "Let's just kidnap her. Can we kidnap our own kid?"

"I don't think we can," Lucy pouted, slightly disappointed too. She didn't want her little girl growing up either, but it was going to happen eventually. "I'm proud of her though."

"Me too," Natsu grinned. "She grew up to be just as awesome as you!"

Lucy giggled, though her heart still weighed heavy. "Thanks."

"No problem," Natsu snuggled closer, preparing for sleep. It was silent around them for about five minutes, until a high-pitched scream rang through the house.

"DADDY!"

Natsu groaned. He was almost asleep too. He rolled onto his back. "I'll be right there!" He called out before getting up. He quickly dressed himself in pajama pants and a shirt, hair a mess as he left the room. "I'll be back," he whispered to Lucy.

"You better," she joked, then stretched since the bed was free.

Natsu laughed before walking down the hall to the girl's room. "What's up?" he asked when he flipped the lamp switch on to provide some light. Natalie was sitting straight up in bed, tears lining her eyes as she looked up at her dad.

"I had a bad dream," she sniffled, her little voice straining to keep from cracking.

Natsu's eyes softened. He had plenty of experience dealing with bad dreams in the past. Lucy had them, occasionally Mason had them, and even Wendy did too. He shuffled further into the room, noting that Wendy was also up, scrolling through her phone until Natsu was closer.

"Hey Dad," she greeted before looking back at her phone. He smiled, happy to get some attention. He knew teenage years were going to be rough, but he didn't expect his little girl to drift so far away from him. Lucy told him this was normal. Teenage girls typically don't think their fathers were cool for a while, but it still hurt to experience it himself.

At least she wasn't rude to him like some girls were to their fathers. Wendy talked to him occasionally, and didn't flat out disrespect him. She just wanted more space the older she got. Although it pained him, he gave it to her.

Natsu crawled into the little twin sized bed with his youngest daughter. He grabbed her, placing her under his arm as he settled on the bed. It was comfy, but way too small for the grown man. "How about I tell you a story? Do you think that'd help?"

Natalie's little green eyes lit up. "Yeah!"

Natsu chuckled, petting her pink hair a few strokes before resting his hand on his stomach. "This one was Wendy's favorite growing up, so hopefully you'll like it too."

At the mention of her name, Wendy glanced over. She recognized her dad's fathering techniques. He used to do the same thing to her and Mason when they had bad dreams. It warmed her heart knowing he treated them all the same, biological or not.

"Let's see. This one's called 'Fairy Tail'."

Natalie poked her father's ribs, right where they were broken over eleven years ago. "Like with princesses, and princes, and dragons?"

"Kinda," Natsu shrugged. "It does have a princess. She was a beautiful woman with long golden hair."

"Was it Mommy?!" The five year old girl looked at her dad's face with amazement.

"Maybe," Natsu's coy smile gave him away. He continued with the story. "One day she decided to travel all over the world. She wanted to meet lots of friends, and go on lots of adventures. Her dream was to join a magical guild called 'Fairy Tail', but she didn't think she was strong enough yet."

Natalie pouted. "But Mommy's really strong!"

"Hey," Natsu shushed. "I never said it was definitely you're mom. Anyways... One day she met a wicked man, who wanted to capture her and use her as a slave."

A gasp came from his youngest daughter, her little hands covering her mouth. Natsu looked down, amused to see her reactions. Her tears were long gone. He doubted she even remembered the bad dream.

"What happened next?"

"Well, while she was stuck in a charm spell, a-" Natsu stopped when he felt the bed shifting. He looked down, seeing Wendy crawling over his legs to make her way to the top of the bed. She said nothing as she scooted closer to his side, grabbing his arm to wrap it around her shoulder as she laid her head on his chest.

Natsu felt his heart warm, but he didn't want to ruin the mood by making a big deal out of this, even if it meant the world to have Wendy willingly get close to him.

"A dragon came in, interrupting the charm spell and saving the girl. She thanked the dragon with a meal, and thought nothing more of it when she left to go finish her adventure." Natsu smiled when Natalie laid her head on his chest too, just like her older sister did.

"The wicked man found the young princess, then lied to her by saying he could get her into 'Fairy Tail'."

"What did she do?" Natalie asked, a hint of sleepiness in her voice.

"Well, the princess _really_ wanted to get into 'Fairy Tail', so she decided to trust the man, but it was a big mistake. That night he really did try to kidnap her, but his plans were foiled when the pink haired dragon-"

"The dragon has pink hair?" Natalie asked, raising a brow.

"I don't think I said that," Natsu laughed at his little slip up.

"You definitely said pink hair, Dad," Wendy finally spoke up, but she didn't raise her head.

" _Fiiiine_ ," Natsu groaned, "he has pink hair."

"So the dragon is you!" Natalie connected the dots.

"He may or may not be me. Just, just listen to the story." Natsu waited until his younger daughter stopped laughing at him before he continued. "The dragon rescued the princess and brought her to 'Fairy Tail'-"

"Where they lived happily ever after?" Natalie asked, full of hope for a happy ending.

"Not right away," Natsu grinned, knowing what he already started. "They went on a ton of adventures after that. Do you want to hear about some of them?"

"Yes!" Natalie cheered, and Wendy giggled because she already knew what their dad was going to say. He said the same thing to her after starting this story so long ago.

"Good, but you'll have to wait until tomorrow night," Natsu held back his laughter when Natalie pouted, lifting her head up so he could see her jutted lip.

"Please?"

"Nope," Natsu said, tightening the grip he had around both his daughters to give them a hug. "Gotta wait til tomorrow."

With that, Natsu sat up, then climbed out of the bed. He leaned over to give Natalie a kiss on the forehead, planting another love thought. He looked over at Wendy, a little surprised when she used her hand to push her blue bangs from her forehead.

Natsu took that as an invitation, giving his oldest child a kiss on the forehead before pulling away. "Tomorrow's a big day," he felt his heart hurt a little, remembering Wendy would be graduating. It wouldn't be long before she was grown up, but he didn't want to face reality yet. "So get some sleep."

As Natsu walked away from Natalie's bed, he heard Wendy whisper, "I'll tell you what happens after the dragon takes the princess to 'Fairy Tail' if you want."

Natalie wasn't quiet at all when she said, "Yes!"

Natsu threw her a look, but she only smiled at him. Natsu shrugged, happy to share the 'Fairy Tail' story with her. "Just don't stay up too late," he said before leaving the room.

He decided to swing by his son's room, slowly opening the door to see the boy sleeping soundly in his bed. Natsu walked over to him, bringing his covers up to his chest since they were pushed down to his feet. Natsu kissed his eleven year old son's forehead before leaving his room.

Natsu felt like his heart was full. He had a wonderful wife, three amazing kids, a house, a few pets, and a great job. Life really couldn't get better for him. He was glad his life turned out this way, even if it had its ups and downs, mainly downs for a while.

It was all worth it, because he had an awesome family to share everything with.

Natsu slipped back into the master bedroom. He saw Lucy was already asleep, snoring lightly under the blankets. He grinned. After being married to her for eleven years he was still very much in love with her. She was his best friend, his mate, and his life partner. He couldn't ask for a better person to spend his life with.

Natsu rolled onto the bed, lifting the covers to spoon his wife. She jolted awake from the contact, but slowly relaxed in his embrace. "What was it?" Lucy asked, her voice gravelly from sleep.

"Natalie had a bad dream," Natsu said, breathing in Lucy's scent. It worked to lull him into a sleepy state.

"Did you help her?"

"Yup," Natsu grinned. "I told her about 'Fairy Tail'."

Lucy giggled. "Well, it was a best seller for a while," she said, remembering how excited she was to publish her first novel.

"It still is," Natsu corrected, feeling proud of her. She finally accomplished her dream of being a published author. Right now she had a contract to write a sequel, so he counted her work as a success.

"Thanks," Lucy yawned, then snuggled closer to her husband. "I guess you'll be pretty busy with that each night."

Natsu shrugged. "I'm gonna tell it to her like I did to Wendy, so it shouldn't take more than twenty minutes at a time."

"Well, if it works for Natalie like it did for Wendy, it should keep her nightmares away."

"Here's hoping," Natsu closed his eyes, letting his mind slowly shut down for the night. "I love you so much, Lucy!"

Lucy furrowed her brows, but said nothing about his outburst. Natsu liked randomly declaring his love for her, whether they were in bed or at the supermarket. The latter was definitely more embarrassing, but endearing at the same time.

"I love you so much too, Natsu. I love you more, I win!"

Natsu laughed, kissing her shoulder before groaning, "I guess you can win for now. But I'll get you tomorrow!"

"I hope so," Lucy smiled. She felt at peace in his strong arms. "Good night."

"G'night," Natsu nuzzled his face against her hair before letting sleep finally take over.

The last thing he thought before everything went dark was, _'yeah... Our life is perfectly imperfect...'_

But he wouldn't have it any other way.

**The End.**

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Long author's note!
> 
> First off, thank you to every single one of you for reading this story! Every single kudo, hit, comment, bookmark, and subscription is appreciated! You gave me the motivation to finish this story! Even if you were a silent reader, thank you so much!
> 
> Shout out to those who commented last time: E._.Otaku and Miraculous_kid!!!
> 
> Thank you for going on this adventure with me! When I started writing HAT I really didn't intend for it to get so long, or have so much included in it, but I'm glad it turned out this way. If you ever find yourself dealing with sexual assault, physical abuse, or even verbal/emotional abuse, seek help. You don't have to settle for an unhealthy relationship.
> 
> Also, if you're suffering from self-harm, I hope you realize you're beautiful, and the world would not be better without you. Someone loves you, even if it's hard to see. Please don't take your pain out on yourself. There are many outlets that don't involve hurting yourself to get your pain/anger/emptiness out of you. I promise you're not alone.
> 
> Now that I've said what I wanted to say on that, let's go back to the story. I included a letter from Jackal to give Lucy a tiny bit of closure, not that she wanted/needed it. The real Lucy Heartfilia is a very forgiving person, but I don't think even she could forgive him if he did that to her for years. That's just my personal opinion, yours may be different, and that's perfectly fine.
> 
> Sorry if it was confusing where it jumps from Wendy being 12 years old to her about to graduate high school. I wanted to show how their family looked after so many years, still just as strong and loving as ever.
> 
> Anyone catch the Easter egg in this chapter? I'll give you a hint, it's from my one-shot called, "Battle of the Holidays". :P You can find it in "Various NALU One-Shots", chapter 10.
> 
> Thank you once again for reading! I'd love it if you told me your final thoughts for this story! You all were so awesome, and I can't say thank you enough for all the support! Have an amazing day/night! -mushi0131
> 
> They'll never have to go home alone again.
> 
> Once again, let me know what you thought of the last chapter, or if you want to tell me what you thought of the sneak peek. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR READING! You're all so lovely!

**Author's Note:**

> PS: I suggest you look up the lyrics for the song, that way you have an idea on what this story is about if you're unsure. :) You don't need to listen to it. If anything just look at the chorus.


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